Prabowo: Economics Is Simple, Not a Divine Science
President Prabowo Subianto has said that economics is a simple science. In his view, the principles of managing national wealth should not be regarded as a complicated discipline.
“Economics should not be treated as some science of the gods. Economics is simple,” Prabowo said while delivering a speech at the peak event of the National Awakening Party’s (PKB) 28th anniversary in Jakarta on Thursday, 23 July 2026.
The chairman of the Gerindra Party expressed confidence that economic principles can be easily understood. As an example, he cited the management of a coffee stall, comparing Indonesia’s economic governance to running such a business.
“If you open a stall, that’s economics. How much does a cup of coffee cost to make? How much do you sell it for? The difference is profit, and the profit is saved,” he said.
If the proceeds from coffee sales are not saved, Prabowo continued, the stall owner will never prosper. He went on to compare this with the management of wealth in Indonesia. According to him, national wealth has never been able to be saved because much of it flows abroad.
“Indonesia’s wealth is taken abroad and never saved, because it simply isn’t in Indonesia,” said the former defence minister. He described the situation as unreasonable and said the practice could not be justified.
“How can we give our people a decent life if our wealth is taken away, carried overseas, and never enjoyed by our people?” Prabowo said.
President Prabowo attended the PKB’s 28th anniversary celebration alongside Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka. According to Tempo’s observations at the venue, Prabowo and Gibran arrived at the Plenary Hall of the Jakarta Convention Centre at around 7.40pm local time.
Prabowo attended the event dressed in 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 ulama, and leading figures from political parties in the governing coalition.