Prabowo Sips Coffee During Speech: 'Relax, the Election is Still Far Off'

President Prabowo Subianto joked that the 2029 General Election is still a long way off during his speech at the Annual Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the Joint Session of the House of Representatives (DPR) and the Regional Representatives Council (DPD) in Jakarta on Friday (14/8). Prabowo initially sipped a glass of coffee during his speech at the MPR Annual Session. He then remarked that Indonesian coffee beans are the best. Afterwards, Prabowo quipped that coffee-producing regions would surely support him. He then turned to face the session attendees and said the election was still far off. He also mentioned there were many potential candidates who would contest the next election, though he did not specify who these potential figures were. “Just relax, the election is still a long way off. There are many potential candidates,” Prabowo said with a smile. Prabowo delivered the state address at the 2026 MPR RI Annual Session and the Joint Session of the DPD RI and DPR RI at the MPR/DPR RI Building in Senayan, Jakarta. In his speech, Prabowo outlined a number of matters regarding his administration’s performance over the 21 months since he took the oath as president on 20 October 2024. “In 21 months, precisely 663 days to this day, the government I lead has decided on and implemented 121 transformative policies,” Prabowo stated. The President said some of the issues addressed through these policies were problems that had persisted for decades and remained unresolved. Prabowo said this achievement demonstrated that problems previously considered complicated can begin to be resolved through the courage to make decisions, hard work, clear intent, and mutual cooperation among all elements of the nation. “This means we have decided on one transformative policy every five days,” Prabowo said. On the occasion, Prabowo recalled the oath he took when he was inaugurated as President alongside Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka at the same venue on 20 October 2024. Prabowo stressed that this oath serves as the foundation for running the state leadership, including prioritising the interests of all Indonesian people, including those who did not vote for him. “I have sworn to lead the state and nation sincerely and honestly, prioritising the interests of all Indonesian people, including those who did not vote for me,” he said. Prabowo said that during his administration, there are four main guidelines that form the basis of the government’s work. First, to carry out the mandate of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. Second, to safeguard and protect core national interests, including ensuring the nation’s wealth can be utilised to the greatest extent for the people’s prosperity. Third, the government strives to overcome the people’s difficulties in the shortest possible time. Fourth, all policies are directed towards the interests of the people and their children’s and grandchildren’s generations. “I cannot yet say that all the nation’s problems have been resolved, or that all the promises I made have been fulfilled. Not yet,” Prabowo said. However, Prabowo affirmed that the government will continue to resolve the nation’s various problems and fulfil the promises made to the people. The President also said that delivering the speech at the MPR RI Annual Session was a moment to report on what the government has done, the results that are beginning to show, and the various tasks that still need to be completed.