Prabowo: Indonesia's Social Protection System Among the World's Strongest
President Prabowo Subianto has emphasised that Indonesia currently has a social protection system that is among the strongest in the world. He noted that many of these social programmes are a continuation of those implemented by previous presidents. “So I stress, it turns out we have a social protection system, a welfare state, one of the strongest in the world. If we look at the programmes one by one, some of these programmes were carried out by presidents before us, by governments before us,” Prabowo said during a briefing at a Plenary Cabinet Session at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday (20/7/2026).
Prabowo explained that the government’s commitment to protecting the public is realised through a variety of programmes reaching different beneficiary groups. These programmes include the Family Hope Programme (PKH), Sekolah Rakyat (People’s Schools), the Smart Indonesia Card for College (KIP Kuliah), the Smart Indonesia Programme (PIP), as well as the Sembako Card and other social assistance. “Socio-economic empowerment assistance, self-help housing stimulant assistance, 20 million rupiah per house, 400,000 beneficiaries. Later, I will ask the Minister of Housing and the Minister of Social Affairs to review whether the number of beneficiaries can be increased so the index can be reduced. Perhaps we won’t give cash but provide materials,” he said.
Furthermore, within the welfare support programme, the government also provides the Housing Financing Liquidity Facility (FLPP), disaster assistance, LPG subsidies, as well as subsidies and compensation for diesel, petrol, and electricity. There are also discounts on train and sea transport fares, food assistance, Free Nutritious Meals (MBG), and Free Health Checks (CKG). “Free Nutritious Meals, MBG for 74,560,000 students, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, toddlers, and the elderly. Free Health Checks for 130,800,000 people. This is the first time for free health checks. We check, know the condition, know the problems, know what we must do now,” he stated.
In addition to strengthening social protection, Prabowo conveyed that the government is also continuing to invest in improving the quality of human resources through internship programmes for new graduates, the Sekolah Unggul Garuda (Garuda Superior Schools), and various scholarship schemes. According to him, the success in building this system is the result of hard work carried out continuously since the early days of independence. “Let’s not underestimate ourselves. We are strong, we are rich, and we will be richer,” he concluded.