Prabowo Speaks Candidly on War Impact: We Will Face Difficulties
Jakarta — President Prabowo Subianto discussed the impact of war in the Middle East whilst inaugurating 218 bridges across Indonesia through a virtual ceremony on Monday (9 March 2026). According to him, Indonesia must be prepared to face difficulties arising from the conflict.
Prabowo explained that the current global situation is fraught with danger, as major powers are in conflict and may drag other nations into difficult circumstances.
“Brothers and sisters, the entire world is experiencing upheaval. Because of the war in the Middle East, we must frankly be prepared to face difficulties,” Prabowo stated in his address.
He expressed gratitude that the military (TNI) is currently well-coordinated and defending the people, as evidenced by the construction of 218 bridges over 2.5 months.
Prabowo also asserted that Indonesia possesses the strength to endure amid the pressures of war’s impact. To this end, he reiterated the importance of good governance regarding corruption eradication and collusion that drains state coffers.
“I emphasise again that we must combat corruption at every level. Corruption, abuse of authority, fraud, and collusion with unscrupulous businesspeople — these cause state leakages. These result in much of our wealth being lost. Wealth that we could use to face any disaster,” he said.
Additionally, Indonesia’s resilience in this situation also stems from newly discovered natural resources. Thus, Indonesia could emerge from this global crisis in better condition.
“Brothers and sisters, I say once more that I have examined our wealth figures and data. Every day we continue to discover new riches,” Prabowo stated.
“We will face difficulties, I will not hide that. But we have strength. In my estimation, we will emerge stronger. We will emerge from this crisis in a stronger, more prosperous, more productive condition, and more able to stand on our own feet. We are deeply grateful for the blessings bestowed upon us by the Almighty,” he added.
One of its foundations is food self-sufficiency. In wartime, fuel prices rise sharply and can affect food prices.
“We are grateful that we have achieved near self-sufficiency in food. We have already achieved rice self-sufficiency, where rice is our staple food. But we will also soon achieve the capacity to meet our protein needs. Whatever happens, whilst many other nations face difficulties, at minimum we are secure on food,” he said.
Similarly regarding fuel, Prabowo said the government is also striving for Indonesia to become self-sufficient and no longer depend on imports. This is being pursued through downstream processing of palm oil, cassava, maize, and sugarcane. For this reason, Prabowo emphasised to all parties to work hard, remain in harmony, and unite in facing the crisis.
Indonesia Maintains Non-Aligned, Non-Bloc Foreign Policy Position
Amid the conflict, Prabowo affirmed that Indonesia remains consistent in pursuing a non-aligned, active, and non-bloc foreign policy. This principle, Prabowo continued, enables Indonesia to maintain stability and coexist peacefully with various groups.
“We are on a non-aligned path, active and non-bloc. We respect all powers, we respect all nations,” he said.
According to him, this is also reflected in the motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity), applied both domestically and internationally.
“Bhinneka Tunggal Ika domestically, but also internationally we respect all nations, respect all religions, respect all races, respect all ethnic groups. This is what makes Indonesia now enjoy peaceful conditions. We can coexist with hundreds of ethnic groups yet remain united,” he said.