Prabowo: We Respect Guests, But Some Are Shameless
President Prabowo Subianto said the Indonesian nation welcomes guests who come from abroad. However, he alluded to some guests he described as not knowing their place.
The chairman of the Gerindra Party said Indonesian society will always make an effort to host guests who come, even in times of hardship. “If a guest comes to our home, even if we have no drinks, no coffee, no sugar, we will still welcome them. If necessary, we will borrow from our neighbours,” he said whilst delivering a speech at National Cooperatives Day in Senayan, Jakarta, on Sunday, 12 July 2026.
However, Prabowo said there are guests who do not come with good intentions. “We like guests. We respect guests. But sometimes there are guests who do not know their place. They were not even invited, they came here, saying they wanted to trade, and in the end they robbed us,” he said.
The former Minister of Defence believes the Indonesian nation is a kind-hearted one. However, on the other hand, he feels its people are also naive, allowing these guests to act as they please.
President Prabowo gave his directions at the peak event of the 79th National Cooperatives Day commemoration on Sunday. The event was held at the Indonesia Arena in the Gelora Bung Karno complex, Jakarta.
Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono explained that this year’s commemoration marks the momentum for the launch of the cooperative movement, as the Red-and-White Village/Neighbourhood Cooperatives, known as KDKMP, enter their operational phase.
According to Ferry, Prabowo’s attendance also affirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the cooperative movement as one of the pillars of national economic development.
The Red-and-White Village Cooperatives project is one of the government’s strategic programmes, implemented under Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2025 on the Acceleration of the Formation of Red-and-White Village/Neighbourhood Cooperatives. The regulation targets the acceleration of formation through the establishment, development and revitalisation of 80,000 cooperatives in stages across Indonesia.
Ferry Juliantono said around 30,000 Red-and-White cooperatives have now been formed. Meanwhile, the government is targeting the figure to reach around 40,000 units at the latest by the end of this year.