September 24, 2025 | 09:24 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto has awarded the Order of Distinguished Stars (Bintang Jasa Utama) to Bill Gates for his extraordinary assistance to Indonesia. The award was presented at the Millennium Hilton Hotel in New York on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, during a meeting held alongside the 80th United Nations General Assembly.
Prabowo stated that Bill Gates had demonstrated "extraordinary merits and dedication to Indonesia," particularly in the health sector. This support included assistance in research, seeking the best seeds, medications, and vaccines.
The President acknowledged Gates' profound contributions and dedication, deeming his work highly beneficial for the nation's safety, welfare, and the glory of the nation.
Furthermore, Prabowo noted that Indonesia continues to collaborate with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on various humanitarian projects. These initiatives are designed to "help the most vulnerable, to overcome poverty, hunger, and also education, especially education. Education is the key to our future," Prabowo explained.
Accompanying President Prabowo at the meeting were several key officials, including Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Zulkifli Hasan, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Investment Minister and Head of the Investment Managing Agency Danantara Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
During a May 7, 2025, visit to Indonesia, Gates met with Prabowo to discuss a new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine, which his foundation is funding for clinical trials in several countries, including two locations in Indonesia.
Prabowo disclosed that the Gates Foundation provided Indonesia with grant assistance totaling US$159 million (approximately Rp2.6 trillion) since 2009, with the majority of the funding allocated to the health sector.
Some of the grant money, approximately Rp1.3 trillion, had been used for the development of the polio vaccine produced by Bio Farma, which now provides two billion doses annually to 42 countries.
Eka Yudha Saputra contributed to this report.
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