Prabowo to Workers: Don't Hate the Rich
President Prabowo Subianto urged workers not to resent the rich. According to him, many wealthy entrepreneurs provide fair employment.
Prabowo conveyed this view in a speech to workers during the International Labour Day commemoration at the National Monument area in Jakarta on Friday, 1 May 2026. “Don’t hate the rich,” he said from the podium.
The former Defence Minister stated that workers need to approach entrepreneurs maturely. He noted that not all entrepreneurs are despicable or greedy.
Prabowo said there are still many entrepreneurs who work well. “We need them for the economy to thrive,” he remarked.
Nevertheless, Prabowo said he could not tolerate government officials colluding with greedy entrepreneurs. He described them as people who become rich by robbing.
The Gerindra Party Chairman is confident that workers and labourers support him as president. “I wanted to become president five times, lost four times. But I feel that workers, farmers, and fishermen have always been with me,” Prabowo stated.
This year, various worker unions and labour federations across regions held International Labour Day commemorations on Friday, 1 May 2026. The event in Jakarta was split between two locations: the Monas area in Central Jakarta and in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) building in Central Jakarta.
The All-Indonesian Workers’ Confederation together with the Labour Party held May Day at Monas. However, it was not a protest to voice demands; the May Day at Monas took the form of a celebration featuring President Prabowo Subianto.
Several worker union organisations chose not to join the 2026 May Day celebration at Monas with the authorities. Those who refused are united in the Alliance of Workers’ Movement with the People or Gebrak.
This alliance consists of the Confederation of the Congress of Indonesian Workers’ Union Alliances (KASBI), the Indonesian Workers’ Struggle Federation (FPBI), the Food and Beverage Workers’ Union Federation (FSBMM), as well as organisations from various societal elements. They planned to demonstrate and voice demands in front of the DPR building in Jakarta during the Labour Day commemoration on Friday afternoon, 1 May 2026.
KASBI Confederation Chairman Sunarno said there would be around 10,000 people protesting in front of the parliamentary building. “We are carrying the theme May Day with the People,” he said when contacted on Thursday, 30 April 2026.
Sunarno stated that the action organised by his group differed from the one held by KSPSI at Monas. He described the Labour Day commemoration in front of the DPR building as an independent and autonomous action.
“The May Day celebration organised at Monas, in our view, is laden with mainstream narratives and co-optation by those in power,” he said.