Prabowo: We Are Called Lazy and Fond of Sleeping

President Prabowo Subianto has claimed that certain parties underestimate Indonesia by labelling its people as lazy and fond of sleeping. The Head of State stressed that this perception does not reflect reality. According to Prabowo, Indonesians work hard every day to meet their needs. He made these remarks during a speech at the virtual groundbreaking ceremony for the Masela Abadi Field project from the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta today. “Indeed, there are parties who always look down on the Indonesian nation, who always underestimate the Indonesian nation, who always mock the Indonesian nation behind our backs,” Prabowo said on Thursday, 16 July 2026. The Chairman of the Gerindra Party stated that the kindness and friendliness of the Indonesian people are often misinterpreted as weakness by others. Furthermore, Prabowo said Indonesia also frequently receives negative stereotypes. Yet, according to Prabowo, the real situation shows the opposite. “We are called a relaxed nation, we are called a lazy nation, that the Indonesian people, the natives, have a hobby of sleeping,” he said. Prabowo added, “In fact, our people struggle hard every day to seek a decent living.” The former Minister of Defence under President Joko Widodo gave the example of people who risk their lives to earn a living, such as fishermen who go to sea. “Those who sail the sea to find food, to catch fish, are risking their lives. Everywhere, our people work hard,” Prabowo stated. For Prabowo, the people’s habit of avoiding the sun is not a form of laziness. “But if the climate is that hot, well, ancestral wisdom teaches us to avoid the heat during the blazing sun,” Prabowo said. Furthermore, Prabowo believes many parties do not see that Indonesians wake up early to start their activities. “Some go to the rice fields, some go to the farms, some look for water, look for wood, some go hunting. Some go to sea in the dark and return in the dark as well,” Prabowo remarked.