Prabowo: Global Situation is Highly Volatile, but There is No Use in Panicking
President Prabowo Subianto has assessed that the current global geopolitical situation is highly volatile due to increasing escalations in various regions of the Middle East. He stated that while these conditions must be met with vigilance, they should be approached without panic.
“This is a very volatile global situation. But there is no use in us panicking. There is no use in us being afraid. However, it must make us more aware, acting and speaking with wisdom and kindness. We must remain vigilant, because we are a very large and very wealthy nation,” said Prabowo during a meeting with leaders of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Friday (31/07/2026).
Prabowo explained that wealth in natural resources is often a factor that triggers competition between nations. He cited the history of the Nusantara archipelago, which for centuries has been targeted by foreign powers due to its strategic commodities, such as spices and timber.
“We have always been a target for hundreds of years. The issue is always commodities. In the 1500s and 1600s, spices were crucial, critical commodities. Why? Because there were no refrigerators. There was no refrigeration,” he remarked.
According to him, in the past, spices were vital commodities used to preserve food during long voyages, while timber from Nusantara was needed to build powerful naval fleets. “This is something we might not realise, or we realise but perhaps do not want to learn from. So, my brothers, this could be described as ‘the curse’,” he added.
“A person or a country or a region on earth that is blessed with such rich natural resources often becomes a target,” Prabowo continued.
Prabowo then linked this condition to the prolonged conflicts in the Middle East, which he believes are influenced by the abundance of oil, gas, and mineral reserves in the region. He noted that the practice of ‘divide et impera’ (divide and rule) remains relevant today.
“Why is there turmoil in the Middle East? The Middle East has much gas, much oil, and many other minerals. War has been raging there for hundreds of years. Therefore, ‘divide et impera’ is not just something written in history books; it is real. It is a reality,” he stated.
Furthermore, Prabowo highlighted the growing concerns regarding the arms race in the Middle East. He mentioned that developments in nuclear programmes in the region have the potential to prompt other nations to take similar steps.
“So, my brothers, I emphasise this to you again, because what we are discussing is happening right before our eyes. Every evening, every night, we see in the news escalation, escalation, escalation. It is said that Iran already possesses nuclear weapons. Now, Saudi Arabia wants them too. If Saudi Arabia wants nuclear weapons, it is not impossible that the UAE will also want them. Qatar will want them. Egypt will want them,” he concluded.