Prabowo Asks Journalists to Leave During Speech to Academics

President Prabowo Subianto requested journalists to leave the room while he was delivering a speech before thousands of academics. The moment occurred as Prabowo was providing a briefing during the Science, Technology, and Industry Convention at the Jakarta International Convention Centre on Friday, 26 June 2026.

In his speech, Prabowo discussed various topics ranging from the role of academics in development to international politics. The address, held at an event organised by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek), was initially open to media coverage during the first half-hour.

However, midway through his remarks, Prabowo requested that the journalists present in the convention hall exit. “With all due respect, I invite the journalists to have some coffee outside; I am sure Mr Brian (Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto) has prepared some good coffee,” said Prabowo.

The Chairman of the Gerindra Party stated that he wished to speak frankly with the academics in attendance and did not want the session to be covered by the media. “Journalists, with all due respect, members of the media, today I want to speak heart-to-heart with the professors,” he remarked.

Prabowo noted that he would present the data and facts available to him to the participants.

Before concluding his public remarks, Prabowo stated that academics are the brightest minds in a nation. “If a country wants to rise, if a country wants to progress, it must utilise or mobilise the potential and capabilities of campuses and universities,” he said.

Prabowo claimed to have involved academics in his policies. Furthermore, he emphasised the importance of elites uniting under a single goal for the nation’s progress.

The forum, titled “National Discussion” (Sarasehan Kebangsaan) and attended by Prabowo, was part of the Indonesian Science, Technology, and Industry Convention organised by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology. The event carried the theme “Strategies for Economic Independence and Indonesian Welfare.”

Several cabinet members were also in attendance, including Vice President Gibran Rakabuming, Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.