A Series of Points from Prabowo's DPR Plenary Speech

President Prabowo Subianto attended a plenary session of the House of Representatives (DPR) on Wednesday, 20 May 2026. On that occasion, he outlined the macroeconomic framework and the main points of fiscal policy. Prabowo was accompanied by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. Several ministers and heads of agencies from the Kabinet Merah Putih were also present at the DPR complex’s ‘turtle-shell’ building. Prabowo thus became the first president to present the macroeconomic framework and the key points of fiscal policy before the legislature. According to Prabowo, the global economy is currently volatile. He highlighted the conflicts in the Middle East, which, although distant, continue to affect the national economy. ‘Therefore, given the conditions we face, I believe that the President of the Republic of Indonesia must personally present the core ideas on the economy and state management,’ he said in his speech on Wednesday, 20 May 2026. Tempo sums up a number of the points he articulated in his DPR plenary speech.

1. Prabowo Slams ‘Green-Brown’ Backing for Lawbreakers

President Prabowo Subianto criticised the habit of Indonesian officials who frequently shield lawbreakers. He said there are officers in green and brown uniforms who shield those who plunder state wealth. ‘Usually those people have protection. The protection is usually their uniform – if not green, then brown,’ he said. The former defence minister said he does not want protection for corrupt actors to continue, and vowed not to hesitate in taking action against unruly officials. The chairman of the Gerindra party stated that soldiers and police must not tarnish the image of the defence and security institutions. ‘Do not sully TNI-Polri. TNI-Polri belong to the people and must fight for the people,’ Prabowo said. He said the Indonesian people are not stupid. The public, he argued, can tell when an official is helping criminals. Prabowo also endorsed public documentation of improper conduct by officials and reporting it to the President. ‘If there is misconduct by officials, I want the people to video it,’ he said.

2. Prabowo Wants Indonesia to Produce Vehicles and Consumer Electronics

Prabowo said he wishes Indonesia to be able to produce vehicles and consumer electronics independently. He argued the country must industrialise in both sectors. ‘We must industrialise, we must make our own cars, we must make our own motorbikes, we must make televisions, computers, and our own mobile phones,’ he said. Prabowo added that industrialisation would be accelerated through the Danantara Investment Management Agency. He said the agency could speed up development financing. Danantara, he said, could also inject working capital to accelerate domestic industrialisation. In this way, he hopes the national industry can produce cars, motorcycles, and televisions. Prabowo said he has gathered professors and experts to realise the dream of a country able to produce vehicles and electronics itself. The retired army general asked them to dedicate themselves to Indonesia. ‘I have gathered professors. I have gathered experts. I tell them: your devotion to the nation and to realising this. We must not give up; we must not feel inferior about this,’ he said.

3. Prabowo to Use Bunker-Searching Technology to Track Corrupt Officials

Prabowo said he would employ technology to locate the wealth of corrupt individuals stored in bunkers. He argued that today’s technology can easily locate underground assets. ‘There is now technology, there are radars we can use; we can look underground. So those who have bunkers hidden away, we will find your wealth,’ he said. Prabowo pointed out that technology can also detect large tracts of land. ‘Those who own vast plantations may think no one will check. Citizens, there are satellites now; no need for physical checks—we can photograph, every tree can be imaged,’ he noted. With this technology, Prabowo is convinced that hidden assets of corrupt individuals can be uncovered from underground. ‘So whatever way you try to deceive, we will uncover your fraud,’ he added.

4. Prabowo: Export Fraud Causes Low Salaries for Teachers and Civil Servants

Prabowo revealed factors behind the low salaries of teachers, law enforcers, and civil servants. He asserted that one cause is fraud in international trade. According to him, Indonesia does not actually incur losses in exports and imports. However, not all export profits are recorded in state revenue. Prabowo highlighted practices such as under-invoicing, under-accounting, transfer pricing, and smuggling as gaps that deprive the state of optimal revenue from exports. He claimed these practices have persisted for more than three decades. ‘For 34 years, what has happened? What has happened is what is called under invoicing. Under invoicing is essentially fraud,’ he explained. Under-invoicing refers to reporting export values below actual prices. The method is often used to evade taxes, smuggling, and money laundering. He said it affects various commodities, including palm oil. Prabowo claimed that under-invoicing has cost the country for 34 years, with losses amounting to US$908 billion. The data he cited comes from UN Comtrade 2025 and was processed by the NEXT Indonesia Institute. Therefore, Prabowo said the country must be bold in reforming the oversight system