Dear Bapak Presiden Prabowo Subianto,
I write to you today from the shadow of the Panthéon, where France honors its “Grands Hommes.” Here, the intellect is celebrated as the highest form of power (Kasekten). But as I sit in this temple of reason, my thoughts are in the highlands of Java and Sumatra, where the earth itself breathes.
Bapak, Indonesia sits upon the “Ring of Fire”—a collection of volcanoes that the “narrow-minded” see only as a threat. But to a sophisticated leader, these are our “Eternal Batteries.” We possess 40% of the world’s geothermal potential. This is a miraculous breakthrough waiting to be fully realized. Why are we still burning “dirty” coal when the heart of our motherland offers us a clean, constant flow of energy?
The Existential Choice: Rousseau and the “Social Contract”
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who rests here in the Panthéon, argued that a government’s legitimacy comes from its “Social Contract” with the people. In our modern era, part of that contract must be “Energy Security.”
When we continue to cut our forests to mine coal, we are tearing up the contract we have with our children. We are choosing a “viscous” and dying industry over the ethereal, steam-powered future of our volcanoes. By pivoting to geothermal energy, you are not just choosing a “technology”; you are choosing a state of Keselarasan (Harmony). You are using the transformative power of the earth to provide prosperity without the “Suharto mistake” of environmental destruction.
Food for Thought: The “Sorbonne of Sustainability”
In the laboratories of the Sorbonne nearby, scientists are perfecting the “Binary Cycle” for geothermal power, allowing us to harvest energy even from lower-temperature springs.
- The Suggestion: Let us turn our volcanic regions into “Special Ecological Zones.” Instead of mining, let us build high-tech geothermal hubs that power our industries with zero emissions.
- The Strategy: Use our “Green Command” to bypass the red tape that has stalled geothermal projects for decades. This is a ripple effect that will lower our national carbon footprint and make Indonesia the “Green Powerhouse” of Southeast Asia.
The 8th-Century Genius of Fire
Bapak, our ancestors lived in the shadow of these mountains. They knew they were sacred. They didn’t see the volcano as an enemy, but as a source of fertility and life. By harnessing geothermal energy, we are returning to that 8th-century genius—using the heat of the earth to build a civilization that lasts.
Let us show the world that Indonesia does not need to look outside for its energy. Our abundance is within. Let the steam of our volcanoes be the breath of a new, sophisticated Indonesia.
With unwavering intention, gratitude, and the intellectual weight of the Latin Quarter, Maha Karuna
References
- Magnis-Suseno, F. (1997). Javanese Ethics and World-View. (On the sacred relationship between the people and the volcanic landscape).
- Rousseau, J-J. (1762). Du Contrat Social. (On the duty of the state to protect the collective future).
- International Geothermal Association (2025). Indonesia: The Global Leader in Geothermal Potential.
Kaizeneers 
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