Prabowo Recounts Frequently Receiving Messages from Village Children via TikTok
President Prabowo Subianto has recounted how he frequently receives direct messages from members of the public through social media platforms, including TikTok, in today’s digital era.
Prabowo said this has given the Indonesian people an unprecedented level of access to information. On one hand, he sees the benefits; on the other, he sometimes feels the pressure.
The President cited examples of messages he has seen from village children on TikTok complaining about the state of infrastructure in their areas.
“I feel the benefits, but sometimes also the pressure, when many village children speak directly to me through TikTok or send messages straight to the President,” Prabowo said at the Business Summit at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington DC, United States, on Wednesday (18 February) local time.
“‘Mr President, we don’t have a bridge over our river; we have to get soaking wet every day just to go to school.’ This reaches me directly, so I have to react quickly so that they feel the central government and their President are listening and taking action,” he added.
Furthermore, Prabowo explained that with this openness in the flow of information, messages can reach him directly, meaning the government must act swiftly.
Prabowo also said he was deeply moved upon receiving a message from a headteacher in an isolated area of Papua when they first received their digital platform. Prabowo recounted how he has been distributing interactive smart screens to every classroom in schools across Indonesia.
“It was very touching when I received a message from a headteacher in an isolated area of Papua. They received a digital platform for the first time. I am providing interactive smart screens in every classroom in every school in Indonesia. By the end of December 2025, we had delivered more than 288,000 screens,” Prabowo said.
Through this programme, the government is also promoting distance education systems so that schools on remote islands and in mountainous regions can still access quality education.
“My target is that by the end of my term, all classrooms across Indonesia will have these interactive screens, with the entire school syllabus stored in the software and accessible at any time,” he said.