Some weeks stay with you. In September, Magnum Estate International had the honour of hosting the delegation of Indonesia's Ministry of Defense (Kemhan RI) — led by General TNI Parluhutan Marpaung, S.I.P., M.Han., Head of the National Bela Negara Center — at The Umalas Signature, ahead of the opening of the Bela Negara 2026 training program in Bali.
What the week looked like
The delegation — the General, colonels and officers of the Ministry — stayed with us in Umalas, and our management team handled the welcome from the airport to the farewell: I was proud to stand alongside our Commissioner Jonathan Soeharto, who coordinated the liaison with the Ministry, General Director Bogank Serpiyadi and Charles B. Siringgo.
On September 22 we accompanied our guests to the Pusat Pelatihan Militer Kodam IX/Udayana in Tabanan for the opening ceremony of the Bela Negara 2026 cadre training — 325 participants: religious leaders, community figures and civil organisations from across Bali, all in one field for one purpose.
Why this matters to me
I have written before that respect for the country you live in isn't a courtesy — it's a strategy. This September I felt what it looks like in the other direction: when the country extends its trust back.
For a foreign-owned company to be asked to host a Ministry of Defense delegation — and for a foreigner like me to sit at the opening of a national defense program — is not something I take lightly. It is the result of years of doing things the way Indonesia asks them to be done: legally, transparently and with genuine admiration for this country.
In the press
The event was covered by Warta Global Bali, which noted Magnum Estate International's consistent support of government programs in Bali. Terima kasih atas kepercayaannya — thank you for the trust.