Dirgayuza Refutes Claims That President Prabowo Is Unaware of On-the-Ground Issues

Dirgayuza Setiawan, the Special Assistant to the President for Communications and Policy Analyst, stated that he is intrigued by the notion that President Prabowo Subianto is unaware of existing problems on the ground. He emphasised that the President’s primary intention is to avoid causing public concern.

“I am intrigued because many social media commentators suggest that our President does not understand the issues. They claim the President is distanced from problems or is being prevented from knowing what is happening on the ground,” said Dirgayuza during the book launch of ‘President Solution’ in South Jakarta on Monday (8/6/2026).

“We see that this is untrue. The reality is that the President does not wish to speak ill of others and does not want to create anxiety among the public,” he continued.

Dirgayuza noted that Prabowo frequently discusses field issues with his cabinet members in closed forums. This is the reason why the President requests the media to exit during certain activities, including cabinet meetings.

“Therefore, every time he is about to discuss a problem, he asks the media to leave the room,” he added.

“This occurs in many cabinet meetings. In open sessions, we are present throughout the meeting, and the President allows the media to cover and record the proceedings; however, once the discussion moves towards more sensitive or unpleasant topics, the media is asked to leave.”

Dirgayuza remarked that this habit has had a negative impact on Prabowo’s image, leading to the perception that he is unaware of the nation’s challenges.

“Ultimately, this perception was created—that President Prabowo does not know the problems—even though we witness him discussing these issues on a daily basis,” he concluded.