Prabowo to Indonesia's Bright Minds: Do Not Use Your Intelligence for Other Nations

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - President Prabowo Subianto reminded Indonesia’s intelligent people to participate in building the nation. He emphasised this during the Groundbreaking of 13 National Downstreaming Projects Phase II, in Cilacap, Central Java, on Wednesday (29/4/2026). “Do not use your intelligence to enrich other nations. We do not hate other nations. We do not want our people to remain poor because our money is taken abroad,” he stressed. He stated that he would not tolerate unpatriotic attitudes. According to him, “no matter how intelligent, they will not be given a place around if they do not defend their own nation.” “Find other people,” he added. “So, brothers and sisters, this downstreaming is a historic thing, the journey of a nation that I say is long and difficult, like a long march of a nation. A long march of a nation,” he said. On the same occasion, he also touched on those who say “Indonesia is dark.” According to him, it is still ahead: “Indonesia is bright.” “Especially Indonesia dark, their eyes are blurry Indonesia dark… Indonesia is bright,” he said. “There are those who want to run away. Just run away. Maybe some want to run away to Yemen. Please do,” he stressed.