Prabowo Affirms Indonesia's Democratic Commitment in The Economist

President Prabowo Subianto has affirmed his fundamental commitment to keeping Indonesia on a democratic path. As a leader elected by popular mandate, he assured that the democratic system would continue to be upheld under his leadership. “Allow me to state clearly, Indonesia is a democracy and will remain a democracy. I was elected by more than 90 million Indonesian people in a free and fair election,” Prabowo said in his statement to The Economist. Prabowo views democracy as the best system of government, although he acknowledged its various shortcomings in implementation. For him, leadership legitimacy in this system can only be achieved through a long process that respects the sovereignty of the people. “I believe in democracy. I understand that democratic legitimacy is gained through patience, the people’s trust, and respect for the will of the people,” he asserted. The Head of State also emphasised an open attitude towards criticism. He views criticism not as an obstacle, but as a crucial element of national life that must be examined objectively. “I welcome criticism. I have always accustomed myself to carefully examining every criticism directed at the government I lead and weighing it based on facts and the realities faced by ordinary people,” Prabowo said. However, he noted that the implementation of democracy in Indonesia must align with the nation’s cultural character. Prabowo stressed the importance of national stability to support development, where the spirit of mutual cooperation must be prioritised over political division. “We believe democracy must produce stability and progress, not paralysis,” he added. To break the chain of stagnation, the government is accelerating a number of strategic programmes. Among them are the Free Nutritious Meals programme, the development of Sekolah Rakyat, strengthening industrial downstreaming, and the establishment of the Danantara investment management agency. Prabowo acknowledged that the journey of national transformation will not always be smooth. However, he is determined to bring Indonesia out of a zone of dependency and doubt. “Indonesia’s journey is not perfect and will not be perfect. History teaches us that no major national transformation runs flawlessly. Yet we are determined that this country shall no longer be defined by doubt or underperformance,” he explained. He concluded by stressing that his government’s effectiveness would not be measured by words, but by the impact felt by the wider public. “As a government, we will answer criticism not with rhetoric, but with real, measurable results for everyone, everywhere,” Prabowo concluded.