Prabowo Claims Advisers Warned Him Not to Speak Without a Script
President Prabowo Subianto has admitted that his advisers have warned him not to deliver speeches without a prepared text. He made the disclosure while attending the peak event marking the 28th anniversary of the National Awakening Party (PKB) at the Jakarta Convention Center on the evening of Thursday, 23 July 2026.
The Head of State initially said he felt honoured by PKB cadres, as the politicians attending the party’s anniversary celebration were wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan “Prabowonomics”.
Prabowo then conveyed his deepest gratitude. He went on to say that the speech he was due to deliver at the PKB anniversary had in fact already been prepared. “Shall I read it out? Not only you — even I could fall asleep at this podium,” Prabowo said, holding the sheets of his speech.
The Chairman of the Gerindra Party then noted that many journalists were covering the event. “Many of my advisers told me, ‘Sir, you must not, Sir, speak without a script. It’s safest to just read it out, Sir — there’s no chance of any slips there,’” Prabowo said, imitating the advice he had received.
He did not deny that he often speaks off-script. According to him, members of the media had been waiting to hear what he would say. “No, today I am being polite, today I am polite. So what else should I say?” he remarked. “Thank you. I’m worried that if I stay here too long, I won’t be able to hold back — the tears might come,” he added.
President Prabowo Subianto attended the peak of the PKB’s 28th anniversary event together with Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. According to Tempo’s observation at the venue, Prabowo and Gibran arrived at the JCC Plenary Hall at around 7.40pm local time. He attended the event wearing a white safari suit, while Gibran wore a brown batik.
Upon arrival, Prabowo, accompanied by PKB Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar, walked along greeting the invited guests, who included senior PKB officials, a number of Islamic scholars, and leading figures from political parties in the governing coalition.