Prabowo Pledges to Centre Development on Public Welfare

President Prabowo Subianto has stated that his government’s development policies are focused on the welfare of the people, spanning food and energy security to education, health, employment, and social protection. Speaking at the Annual Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) and Joint Session of the House of Representatives (DPR) and Regional Representatives Council (DPD) in Jakarta on Friday, he outlined the administration’s achievements over the past 21 months. Prabowo noted that the government has implemented 121 transformative policies to address the challenges faced by society. ‘We accept this mandate with great honour. The people’s trust is a noble task for us. Therefore, we will work as hard as possible, we will go all out for the people and our nation,’ he said. On food security, the President reported that Indonesia has achieved self-sufficiency in eight commodities: rice, corn, sugar, chicken meat, chicken eggs, shallots, large chillies, and bird’s eye chillies. He attributed this success in part to simplified fertiliser distribution rules and price reductions. ‘Amid a world now deeply worried about mass starvation due to food shortages and unpredictable weather, we can, thank God, report to this assembly that regarding food for the Indonesian people, we are in a secure state,’ he stated. In the energy sector, Prabowo announced that Indonesia has stopped importing diesel fuel since 1 July 2026, following the implementation of the B50 biodiesel mandate using palm oil. He stressed that food and energy independence are crucial to reducing the nation’s vulnerability to geopolitical conflicts and global supply chain disruptions. On the economic front, the President reported that investment realisation throughout 2025 reached Rp1,931 trillion, creating over 2.7 million jobs. In the first half of 2026, investment totalled Rp1,010 trillion, generating more than 1.4 million jobs. Indonesia’s economy grew by 5.61 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 and 5.45 per cent in the first half of the year. The government is also reforming the management of foreign exchange earnings from strategic commodity exports through PT Danantara Sumberdaya Indonesia (DSI), which has managed approximately 14 billion US dollars from coal, palm oil, and iron and steel exports since commencing operations on 1 June 2026. Prabowo said this oversight would be expanded to boost state revenues and strengthen export governance. To empower the grassroots economy, the government is developing Village and Sub-district Cooperatives (Koperasi Desa/Kelurahan Merah Putih) to shorten supply chains and ensure subsidised goods reach the public at proper prices. In the fisheries sector, the government is building modern fishing ports and vessels to enhance the productivity and income of coastal communities. The President also highlighted human development initiatives, including the Free Nutritious Meals programme, People’s Schools for underprivileged children, and Garuda Superior Schools for high-achieving students. In healthcare, the government is running a Free Health Screening programme and providing National Health Insurance contribution assistance for the poor. Prabowo emphasised that these policies are aimed at fulfilling the republic’s founding goal of delivering prosperity for all its citizens.