Prabowo's Latest Statement on Foreign Proxies at TNI Event

President Prabowo Subianto has asked the people not to always follow foreign parties. He made the remarks while delivering a speech at a Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) mass harvest event in Malang, East Java, today.

Initially, Prabowo stated that he wanted to increase the number of ethanol factories in Indonesia as part of efforts to develop petrol blended with ethanol. He then noted that Indonesia can now blend petrol with ethanol at levels of up to 20 per cent, known as E20.

However, he said, the problem is that Indonesia currently has only one ethanol factory. Prabowo therefore decided that up to 50 factories would be built. He then asked the audience at the harvest event whether Indonesia was ready.

“Indonesia can do it, right? Those who don’t want to, that’s fine. Just sit down. Watch, then. But don’t keep following foreign powers like a duckling,” said Prabowo at the TNI harvest event on Friday, 17 July 2026, as broadcast live on the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel.

In his speech, Prabowo once again touched on the ‘Dark Indonesia’ movement. The Dark Indonesia campaign has been used to amplify narratives of dissatisfaction with the state of the nation.

“Indonesia is bad. Indonesia what? Dark Indonesia. If you wear dark glasses, then everything looks dark,” said Prabowo.

The former Defence Minister then mocked those who claim Indonesia is on the verge of collapse. “Every month Indonesia is going to collapse, they say. June it collapses, and now it’s already July,” said Prabowo.

Prabowo also affirmed that his government would continue working to pursue national development targets. He added: “We work with a joyful spirit, an optimistic spirit. Brave people are joyful, brave people are optimistic. Sad people should just stay in their rooms.”