Prabowo Knows Who Funds the Actions Criticizing Indonesia
President Prabowo Subianto said there is a movement by a number of people to criticize his administration’s performance. He claimed to know who is funding the movement.
“Indonesians are not stupid. We know what is happening. We know who funds the movements smearing the Indonesian nation,” Prabowo said in his speech at the inauguration and groundbreaking of SPPG facilities and a National Police Food Security Warehouse at the Palmerah Police Station in West Jakarta on Friday, February 13, 2026.
Prabowo did not elaborate on who he was referring to. The former Kopassus commander general said those who frequently criticize his administration are afraid of a prosperous and strong Indonesia. He said he pays no attention to such criticism.
“We only want the people to live well—that is all we want. We will prove that Indonesia’s economy will rise,” the Gerindra Party chairman said.
Prabowo also alluded to a number of Indonesian economists who, he said, frequently pretend to undermine the nation’s morale. According to him, this is unreasonable. Prabowo said that as fellow Indonesian citizens, they should be supporting the government’s policies.
“If our team is playing football, let’s be their supporters. But they don’t—they always denigrate our own achievements,” Prabowo said by way of analogy.
Yet, Prabowo claimed, household consumption under his administration has been recorded as high. Tax revenue at the start of 2026 was also claimed to have risen significantly compared to previous years. “No one offers positive commentary. But we have no problem with that—we work and prove it to the people. We are on the verge of a resurgence,” Prabowo said.
The head of state also addressed accusations leveled at him that the free nutritious meal program is merely a waste of state finances. According to him, the notion that MBG squanders state funds comes from parties who frequently criticize the government’s priority program. Prabowo said the accusation is wrong.
Prabowo expressed confidence that the budget derived from spending cuts is better used to run the MBG program. Because, he said, if not allocated to MBG, budgets sitting in ministries and agencies are potentially susceptible to corruption by individuals.
“The culture of exhausting budgets, the culture of carrying out unproductive activities with no benefit to the nation and the people—this continues to be practiced,” the Gerindra Party chairman said.
He said it is this unproductive culture that truly wastes state funds. The people, he said, are also being deceived because the state budget is instead used for personal gain.
Prabowo asked Presidential Chief of Staff Muhammad Qodari to compile video clips of people criticizing the implementation of the free nutritious meal program. Prabowo said the video compilation would become his nightly viewing.
He claimed he has absolutely no intention of insulting the Indonesian nation by launching the MBG program. Prabowo said he simply makes policy based on the truth he believes in.
“Since I was young—a second lieutenant with nothing to my name—I have been ready to die for the republic. How could I possibly have the heart to insult it? Never,” he said. “The rest of my life is solely dedicated to saving and building Indonesia.”