Prabowo stresses cooperatives as pillar of Pancasila Economy

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto has stressed his commitment to strengthening cooperatives as a pillar of the Pancasila Economy to promote equitable welfare and make the people the primary drivers of development. During his address at the Pancasila Day ceremony at the Gedung Pancasila courtyard, Ministry of Foreign Affairs office in Jakarta on Monday, Prabowo said economic development must not be solely focused on statistical achievements but must genuinely improve people’s welfare. “Cooperatives must be strengthened. Cooperatives must rise. They are a tool to lift our people from poverty and helplessness. Small and medium enterprises must be bolstered, and villages must become the new centres of economic growth,” Prabowo said. He stressed that the people must be the main drivers of development, not merely objects or tools of development. “Economic growth must be accompanied by equitable distribution. Progress must be felt by all Indonesians,” he said. The President also reminded that Pancasila is not merely a slogan or historical document, but a guide for national life and governance, including in building the national economic system. “Our economy must serve national and public interests. It must not benefit only a select few,” he said. Prabowo noted that a portion of profits from Indonesia’s natural resources has historically flowed overseas, necessitating efforts to ensure greater benefits reach the people. The Pancasila Day ceremony today was attended by the Chairman of the Pancasila Ideology Development Body (BPIP) and former fifth President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, former tenth and twelfth Vice President Jusuf Kalla, former thirteenth Vice President KH Ma’ruf Amin, Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Ahmad Muzani, Chairman of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) Sultan Bachtiar Najamudin, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Prof. Sunarto, Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Suhartoyo, Chairman of the Judicial Commission Abdul Chair Ramadhan, and other state officials.