Prabowo: Development Must Not Benefit Only a Few, It Must Impact the Community

President Prabowo Subianto of Indonesia has asserted that development must not only benefit a small group of people. He maintains that the public must enjoy the full benefits of all development undertaken by the state.

These remarks were made by Prabowo during his speech at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) 2026 in Vladivostok, Russia, on Thursday, 3 September 2026.

At the previous St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) 2025, Prabowo stated that he had explained Indonesia’s economic philosophy as one of realism, pragmatism, and achieving the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

Indonesia, he said, believes in the initiative, creativity, and innovation of the private sector. However, Indonesia also believes that the government must protect the vulnerable, manage national resources effectively, eradicate corruption, and invest in the long-term needs of the people and the nation.

“That is the meaning of development for the benefit of the community in Indonesia. The greatest benefit for as many people as possible. Development must not only benefit a few people. Development must be measured at the dining tables of ordinary families,” he stated.

He noted that different segments of society have varying needs. Key requirements for the public include nutritious food for children, fertiliser and fair prices for farmers, decent housing for families, and productive employment for the younger generation.

This vision drives the Indonesian government to implement programmes such as free nutritious meals (MBG), food and energy self-sufficiency, as well as downstreaming and industrialisation.

“This is why we are striving for faster economic growth—not growth for the sake of growth alone, but growth that can lift millions of people out of poverty towards dignity,” he said.

The Head of State believes that the EEF 2026 is a forum organised to answer the fundamental question posed to him by the Indonesian people:

“How can the vast wealth of a region be translated into a better life for the people living there?”