Independence, Democracy, and the Pursuit of People's Welfare

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Independence and democracy are the upstream elements, while public welfare is the downstream outcome. This imagination intersects with the downstreaming concept of President Prabowo Subianto. Entering the 81st year of the Republic of Indonesia’s independence, the administration of President Prabowo is working hard to realise public welfare. There are at least three main indicators of public welfare: food, decent housing, and access to education for underprivileged citizens. Access to education for children from poor families is significant, given that education is a determining factor for the future, enabling these children to break out of the cycle of poverty. The launch of the Free Nutritious Meal Programme is also based on the spirit of helping children from underprivileged families obtain good nutrition, so they can attend school with full stomachs and happy hearts. It is a challenge for the Prabowo-Gibran administration to achieve comprehensive public welfare. Indonesia is currently in a period of demographic bonus, with an abundance of productive-age citizens, which opens up opportunities for high economic growth. This demographic bonus is a crucial asset for Indonesia to become a developed nation. The Free Nutritious Meal Programme serves as a catalyst to encourage the birth of a new generation on par with Nobel laureates. A demographic bonus occurs when the majority of the population is in the productive age group, specifically between 18 and 64 years old. This potential can provide significant benefits in terms of the workforce, but its success must be accompanied by excellent health and high levels of intelligence. This is important because when the productive age group has optimal health and intelligence, the positive impact will be felt in the improvement of human resources quality and the country’s human development index.