Prabowo: I Lost Four Presidential Elections but Never Disrupted the Elected Leader

President Prabowo Subianto has stated that he never disrupted the elected leader despite experiencing four defeats in presidential elections. According to him, respecting the results of democracy is part of a commitment to maintaining the country’s stability. “As a political leader, I was elected democratically. I went to the people five times to ask for a mandate. Four times I was not given the mandate. Four times I lost, but I did not disturb the leader who received the mandate,” Prabowo said at the National Sarasehan Convention on Science, Technology, and Industry (KSTI) 2026 at the Jakarta Convention Centre, Central Jakarta, on Friday (26/6). Prabowo said this stance was taken because Indonesia has chosen democracy as its state system. Therefore, he argued, every general election result must be respected even if it does not meet everyone’s expectations. He assessed that the recurring turmoil after every election would only hinder efforts to achieve public welfare. “We understand, we may not be satisfied, but what is the alternative? Do we want chaos, turmoil after every election, with the losers making a fuss? When will we move towards prosperity for our people?” he said. Prabowo also noted that Indonesia consists of people from diverse ethnic, religious, professional, experiential, and ideological backgrounds. Despite this, he believes that all the nation’s children who love Indonesia should be able to find common ground amidst these differences. According to Prabowo, historical lessons show that nations whose elites can cooperate tend to rise and develop more easily. Conversely, countries that are constantly in conflict will struggle to reach their full potential. “From what I have learned from thousands of years of history, nations whose elites can cooperate are the ones that rise. Nations whose elites cannot cooperate fail to reach their potential,” he said. To illustrate his view, Prabowo touched on several ongoing conflicts in various regions of the world, from Ukraine, Gaza, Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, and Yemen to Afghanistan, Myanmar, and the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. He argued that these conflicts demonstrate the importance of the elite’s ability to work together to maintain a country’s stability. “In the midst of all this, the key is often elites who cannot cooperate,” he said. Prabowo also said that all the skills and leadership possessed by the elite should be directed towards improving the welfare of the people, especially the most vulnerable groups. “Isn’t it our duty as children of the nation, as leaders, as the smartest people in this country? Shouldn’t we dedicate all our intelligence to our poorest and weakest people?” Prabowo said. He added that everyone is entitled to different views. However, he argued that hostility, anarchy, and mutual insults are not productive paths when other nations are continuously striving to pursue prosperity and economic progress.