Prabowo: Indonesia's Natural Resources Plundered and Smuggled for Too Long

President Prabowo Subianto has reminded the public not to be complacent in reading history about the various challenges Indonesia has faced since gaining independence.

He believes the Indonesian nation is often late in recognising threats and losses that occur in the course of development.

Prabowo initially highlighted the issue of Indonesia’s natural resource management. According to him, the country’s wealth has been taken illegally and even smuggled, while the response to these problems has often been slow.

“We are sometimes slow to realise what is happening around us and to us,” Prabowo said in his speech at the National Electric Motorcycle Launch event in Cikarang, Bekasi Regency, West Java, on Thursday, 13 August 2026.

He then touched on various forms of exploitation and illegal practices that he said have caused Indonesia to suffer losses.

“For so long our natural resources have been taken, smuggled, illegal mining has been carried out. Our assets, our wealth, have been taken before our very eyes, and sometimes we are slow to react. So many problems have caused us losses,” he said.

Prabowo then connected his remarks to Indonesia’s historical journey after independence. He reminded the audience that after Indonesia became independent and its sovereignty was recognised, various disturbances and upheavals continued to occur.

“But it turned out that even though we became independent, even though we received sovereignty, even though the Red and White flag was raised in 1950, every year thereafter we experienced interference and intervention: APRA, RMS, DI/TII, PRRI Permesta, PGRS Paraku, G30S PKI, and so on and so forth,” Prabowo said.

According to Prabowo, history shows a pattern of disruption whenever Indonesia reaches a critical point in its journey as a nation. He therefore asked the public to re-examine various events in national history.

“Open our history. Riots occur every time we are on the verge of take-off, this appears, that appears. Divide et impera,” he asserted.

The statement was delivered by Prabowo as a reminder for Indonesia not to repeat the patterns of conflict that have occurred before. He believes the ability to understand history is important for a nation with a highly diverse social and cultural character.

Prabowo said Indonesia’s diversity is not something that was designed or chosen by the people. This plurality is a condition that has become part of the destiny of the Indonesian nation.