Prabowo: I Can Now Sleep Peacefully, Children in Villages Are No Longer in Danger Crossing Rivers
Jakarta — President Prabowo Subianto expressed satisfaction after the government officially inaugurated 218 bridges across Indonesia on Monday, 9 March 2026.
He stated that he could now sleep more peacefully, having previously been concerned about children in remote villages having to cross dangerous swollen rivers to get to school.
“I can now sleep more peacefully because children in remote villages no longer need to cross rivers in dangerous conditions that threaten their safety,” Prabowo said during the virtual inauguration of 218 bridges, centralised in Aceh on Monday.
The Head of State noted that with the existence of these bridges, school children no longer need to sit in class with wet uniforms.
“Our children in remote places no longer need to sit in class with wet clothes, or return home from school with wet clothes,” he explained.
He also stated that the bridge construction represents evidence that strategic development should target small communities, despite some viewing this project as not strategically important.
Some parties, according to Prabowo, only want to build large monuments, skyscrapers, and luxury buildings.
“No, the government I lead is proud that we address the difficulties of our smallest people, our most distant people, our most remote people,” Prabowo emphasised firmly.
Prabowo stressed that the bridges serve as proof that the central government is present even at the smallest levels, whether in villages, hamlets, or settlements.
For information, the inaugurated bridges comprise 77 Bailey bridges, 59 Armco bridges, and 82 pioneer bridges.
These bridges include those constructed in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra following flash flooding and landslides disasters in late 2025.
Prabowo previously stated that the inauguration of hundreds of bridges built in such a short timeframe of approximately 2.5 months represents an extraordinary achievement.
The former Defence Minister also noted that bridge construction represents genuine commitment from all TNI military personnel and all local officers who were also affected by the disaster. These personnel were specially assigned to build the bridges.
“The Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Task Force has worked diligently, and specifically this Bridge Task Force is today inaugurating 218 bridges. I express gratitude on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, as President of the Republic of Indonesia and also personally,” said a statement representative.
“I have formed this Task Force, I have assigned the Chief of Staff of the Army to lead directly. A four-star general leads the construction of bridges, not only large bridges, but also small bridges,” Prabowo added.