PDI-P Politician Responds to President's Comments on Reining in Critics

JAKARTA — Andreas Hugo Pareira, chairman of PDI-Perjuangan’s central board, has commented on President Prabowo Subianto’s remarks regarding the reining in of observers deemed unpatriotic.

“This is a risk that the people who have chosen must bear. So President Prabowo, as President, may feel he can do anything that does not align with his thinking, and thus needs to rein them in,” Hugo said when asked for confirmation on Tuesday, 17 March 2026.

He further stated that a successful administration would also ensure education for young people. “If the President dislikes something, that is up to the President,” he added.

He assessed that the stance of such observers is not patriotic and reflects narrow thinking.

President Prabowo made these comments during a plenary cabinet session at the State Palace, Indonesian Presidential Complex in Jakarta on Friday, 13 March 2026.

“There are various types of observers in my view. There are observers who do not like their own government succeeding for various reasons. But in my assessment, their stance is narrow-minded, not patriotic,” Prabowo said on Friday.

He also suggested that some critics are motivated by individuals who feel they have lost opportunities for corruption under his administration.

“They feel deprived by our government,” Prabowo said.

He then stated that observers who only seek to undermine the government would eventually be disciplined. Prabowo claimed to possess intelligence data and knowledge of who is financing such critics.

“I have intelligence data, you know. Previously I was outside government, but now I am President. So I receive intelligence reports daily. Therefore I understand, I already know who is financing them. When the time comes, we will rein all of that in,” he explained.