Prabowo: I Welcome Criticism and Examine It Carefully

President Prabowo Subianto has stressed that Indonesia will always be a democracy. Prabowo said his administration welcomes criticism and always examines it carefully. “Allow me to state clearly: Indonesia is a democracy, and will remain a democracy. I was elected by more than 90 million Indonesian voters in a free and fair election,” Prabowo said in a statement to The Economist magazine. Prabowo said democracy remains the best system, even though it is not perfect. “I believe in democracy. I understand that democratic legitimacy is earned through patience, trust of the people, and respect for the will of the people,” he said. Prabowo then said that his administration opens the widest possible space for criticism. He admitted that he always pays close attention to every input and criticism directed at the government. “I welcome criticism. I have always made it a habit to carefully examine every criticism directed at the government I lead and weigh it against the facts, and the realities faced by ordinary people,” Prabowo said. Prabowo added that the implementation of democracy must be adapted to the culture in Indonesia. In Indonesian culture, cooperation is prioritised over political fragmentation, and humility is valued more than political hostility. “We believe democracy must produce stability and progress, not paralysis,” he said. “As a government, we will answer criticism not with rhetoric, but with tangible results that can be measured by anyone, anywhere,” he continued.