Prabowo: Indonesia's Natural Wealth Must Be Fully Enjoyed by the People
President Prabowo Subianto has emphasised his commitment to ensuring that Indonesia’s natural resource wealth is managed and enjoyed to the greatest extent by the people. Prabowo stated that the old practice, where the results of national wealth were not fully enjoyed domestically, must not continue.
“It has been too long, too long that our economic resources, our natural resources, have been controlled by traders whose nationalism I question. We give mining concessions, we give plantation concessions, we give credit from government banks, people’s banks. But when they succeed, the results of their efforts are not placed in Indonesia,” said Prabowo in his speech at the groundbreaking event for the national downstreaming project phase II at Refinery Unit IV in Cilacap, Central Java, on Wednesday (29/4/2026).
Prabowo expressed appreciation to all parties involved in the development of the downstreaming project, and emphasised the important role of industry players, state-owned enterprises, and professionals as the vanguard of national economic transformation.
“This project did not fall from the sky; these projects are the fruit of thoughts, I think the fruit of thoughts over a dozen years, perhaps decades, the fruit of thoughts, aspirations, dreams of Indonesian leaders, Indonesian technocrats, Indonesian scientists, so that these concepts have materialised,” said Prabowo.
Prabowo invited technocrats, scientists, and engineers to dedicate their expertise for the interests of the nation. He stressed that intelligence and capabilities must be used to build people’s welfare, not for interests that harm the country.
“Now is the time for technocrats, now is the time for scientists, now is the time for engineers, professors to become red-and-white professors, professors who defend the people, engineers for the nation and the people. Do not use your cleverness to deceive the people and the nation. Do not use your cleverness to cover up corruption and robbery. Do not use your cleverness to enrich other nations,” said Prabowo.
In addition, Prabowo affirmed that the government will continue to promote various strategic programmes as part of efforts to strengthen equitable distribution of welfare.
Through downstreaming and strengthening the governance of natural resources, the government is promoting a more just and equitable distribution of welfare. In Cilacap, President Prabowo sent a strong message that a new era has begun, an era in which Indonesia’s wealth truly returns to the Indonesian people.