Pandji Pragiwaksono is currently enjoying popularity by hosting many TV programs broadcasted by some Indonesian TV stations. He is a very good and popular singer too (Please release more album, bro! And everybody, please support him!). On TV, he has never failed to make the audiences follow all his programs enthusiastically. He is young, energetic, and I am sure he is an optimist. I have seen him from time to time on TV wearing red-white attire, showing his love to his country,  and from his photos I found through Google, my hunch has been confirmed correct.

Not only has this top presenter been one of GNFI’s top readers, he has also been helping us spread the good news via his Twitter account, http://twitter.com/pandji.

GNFI sincerely thanks him for doing so, and we welcome him to write about Indonesia as he likes.  Below is our conversation with him through email (it touches my heart so deeply). I hope it has the same effect on you, fellow Indonesians.

GNFI: How do you see Indonesia ?

Pandji: I see Indonesia, as a giant waiting to wake up. Everybody knows what the giant is capable of. Nobody knows YET how to awake this giant.
To make this country stand together as one, again, as we once were during 1908-1948.
To make this country work together as one unit.
I believe what the country needs, are leaders. Note I didn’t say “leader”. I said “Leaders” … Leadership is NOT a position, its a choice. The people of Indonesia needs to know that, and take the leading role to bring this country where its suppose to be.

GNFI: How do you see Indonesia, among other nations?

Pandji: I feel, a lot of countries are trying to get close to us. Countries such as the US and UK are trying to be allies with Asia’s Big 3, China, India and Indonesia. China for one, is unapproachable. India is UK’s. And that leaves Indonesia. They know we are getting stronger. Its time for us to realize ourselves. Indonesia is relatively unknown to other countries, but that is their loss and their own self-centered mistake. EVERYBODY from outside Indonesia who’ve been here, wanted to come back. Some countries in the Europe sunbathe at the lake or the river coz they don’t have beaches, now look at Indonesia. We are the largest archipelago in the world! We got beaches everywhere!

GNFI: What about Indonesia you love much?

Pandji: I love the places.
Because this country is so magnificently huge where there are so many places to go, to see, to explore, to find out. So many new things to learn. So many excitement.
Excitement. Isn’t that what everybody in the world wants? Isn’t that what everybody is lookin for? Excitement.

GNFI: What are your suggestions for Indonesian youths?

Pandji: I suggest us to believe.
To believe what we can do and we can achieve IF we stop asking for change and start making changes!
And we can make changes!
The young people of Indonesia in 1928 united this country WITHOUT emails, cellphones, sms, twitter, blogs, facebook, WITHOUT the facility we have right now. How dare for us to believe we can’t make change?
We can!!
We just have to start believing.

GNFI: What are your suggestions for people outside Indonesia ?

Pandji: People of the world, Get to know us.
Read from blogs, from people who’ve been to Indonesia
Indonesia is an amazing country.
Come by…
And bring ur money, u’ll feel sorry otherwise :)

GNFI: How did you find GNFI, and how do you love it ?

Pandji: I heard from a friend Alanda Kariza.
I love it coz its exactly what I meant about MAKING changes. Instead of asking for the media to stop giving out bad news and start giving good news, GNFI decided to do it themselves.
Kudos.

Pandji Pragiwaksono also writes in www.pandji.com

Interview by Farina, GNFI Contributor