Prabowo: The Indonesian Nation Is Naive

President Prabowo Subianto has described Indonesia as a naive nation. For Prabowo, the kindness of the Indonesian people is often exploited by shameless parties. The Head of State expressed this during the peak event of the National Cooperatives Day (Harkopnas) commemoration on Sunday, 12 July 2026. “Our nation is a nation that is too kind-hearted. We are naive. Right? That is the nature of our nation,” Prabowo said at the Indonesia Arena, Gelora Bung Karno complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Sunday. Prabowo said the Indonesian nation always welcomes guests who come. Even in a situation of shortage, the Indonesian nation still tries to receive these guests. “If a guest comes to our house, even if we don’t have drinks, don’t have coffee, don’t have sugar, we invite them in. If necessary, we go to the neighbour, we borrow sugar and coffee,” he said. However, the General Chair of the Gerindra Party said there are guests from other countries who come to Indonesia with bad intentions. “We like guests. We respect guests. It’s just that sometimes there are guests who are shameless. Not invited, they come here, they say they want to trade, eventually they rob,” said Prabowo. The former Minister of Defence under President Joko Widodo did not explain in detail who these guests were. He told the attendees present that he wanted to speak frankly. He even asked permission from Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar. “Minister of Religious Affairs, may I speak frankly? May I? Do you want me to speak frankly or not?” Prabowo said. After that, he instead took a swipe at media personnel whom he considered to be waiting for a moment when he would misspeak. “The media is waiting for me to slip up. It’s okay. Journalists and I are friends,” said Prabowo. Previously, Prabowo Subianto arrived at the 79th National Cooperatives Day commemoration event venue at around 2:12 PM Western Indonesia Time. Prabowo was seen wearing a cream-coloured safari shirt, with a black cap perched on his head. Upon entering the event area, Prabowo, accompanied by Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono, greeted a number of attendees present, from state officials to cooperative managers. Several of Prabowo’s aides in the Red and White Cabinet seen attending this event included Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar, Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Djamari Chaniago, Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, Minister of Investment and Downstreaming Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, and Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar. Also present at the event location were Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin, Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces General Agus Subiyanto, and Chief of the Indonesian National Police General Listyo Sigit Prabowo.