TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The President of the Confederation of All Indonesian Workers’ Unions (KSPSI), Andi Gani Nena Wea, said Prabowo is slated to attend the May Day rally at the National Monument, Jakarta, on May 1, 2026.
The head of state is expected to deliver a state speech interspersed with singing national anthems with union leaders. “He will sing ‘internasionale’,” he said on Wednesday, referring to the popular workers’ anthem.
Prabowo is also expected to “surprise” the workers attending May Day celebrations. Although he did not specify what the surprise would be, he said the president would personally deliver the surprise.
“It is, however, related to online ridehailing services, ILO ratification, and labor welfare policies,” Andi said.
Prabowo also joined in singing the international workers’ anthem, with his fist clenched, in front of hundreds of thousands of workers.
“Internasionale,” or L’Internationale, was created by Eugene Pottier on June 30, 1871, or after the fall of the Paris Commune.
Andrew Hussey in the book “Paris: The Secret History” said that the song was initially created by Pottier in exile. The lyrics of this song were intended as a depiction of the workers’ struggle experience.
After Pottier’s passing, “internasionale” was then translated into several languages, especially in socialist and communist countries such as China, the Soviet Union, Korea, and Vietnam.
In Indonesia, the song was first known in 1920. At that time, someone named Suwardi Suryaningrat translated the lyrics from Dutch to Malay.
The three-stanza adaptation was put into the Sarekat Islam newspaper, Sinar Hindia Number 87 dated May 5, 1920 by Suwardi.
“Internasionale” remains echoed during the annual International Labor Day commemorating, including in Indonesia.
Read: Prabowo Will ‘Surprise’ Workers at 2026 May Day Rally, Union Chief Says
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