Prabowo: Indonesia Must Overcome Inferiority Complex and 'Crab Mentality'

President Prabowo Subianto has highlighted a cultural tendency to undervalue domestic achievements as a significant challenge to building national competitiveness and progress. Speaking at the launch of the B50 biodiesel mandate in Karawang, West Java, on Thursday, he noted that this lack of appreciation often extends to the accomplishments of colleagues and subordinates. “Sometimes we do not appreciate our own achievements, let alone the achievements of our colleagues. Sometimes we do not appreciate the achievements of our own people,” Prabowo said. He observed that this attitude is prevalent across various sectors, including business, politics, government, the military, the police, and even among religious figures. The President suggested that this behaviour likely stems from a long history of colonisation, which fostered a sense of inferiority rather than humility. “Perhaps it is because we were colonised for too long by the Dutch, by foreigners. So what emerged was a sense of inferiority, not humility,” he stated, using the Dutch term ‘minderwaardigheidscomplex’. Prabowo also addressed the ‘crab mentality’ phenomenon, where individuals attempt to pull down others who are striving to advance. He stressed that such envy and resentment have no place amid increasingly fierce global competition, especially when some parties spread negative narratives hoping for the nation’s decline. The President called on all parties to appreciate every achievement and strengthen cooperation to ensure the success of strategic national programmes, including the B50 biodiesel mandate, which he said requires support from all ministries and institutions.