Weekend at Hambalang: President Prabowo Chairs Five Meetings
Weekend at Hambalang: President Prabowo Subianto chaired five separate, closed-door meetings at his private residence in Hambalang, Bogor Regency, West Java, on Sunday, 8 March 2026, from the afternoon through the evening. Secretary of the Cabinet (Seskab) Teddy Indra Wijaya said the meetings addressed priority programmes in education, developments in the geopolitics of the Middle East, and preparations ahead of Eid al-Fitr in mid-March 2026.
“On Sunday afternoon to evening, President Prabowo Subianto convened five different meetings with members of the Merah Putih Cabinet at Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, 8 March 2026. In several of the meetings, the President asked for updates on strategic domestic and foreign issues,” Seskab Teddy said when contacted in Jakarta on Sunday night.
The five agendas identified by the President were: first, the development of ten new campuses in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), together with medical education. Second, a report on developing several state universities so they can improve their global rankings and become more open to collaboration with leading universities worldwide. Third, the President asked for the latest report on the situation in the Middle East and its potential influence on domestic geopolitics. Fourth, a report on Palestinian students who are receiving scholarships to study at the Defence University (Unhan). “Since serving as defence minister in 2022, President Prabowo has invited 20–40 Palestinian children to study in Indonesia, and the number now totals almost 200 students,” Seskab Teddy said. Fifth, a report from the ministerial ranks on the government’s readiness to ensure security and smooth mudik (homecoming travel) for the ten days leading up to Eid al-Fitr.
“The meeting was also attended by Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto; Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin; Deputy Defence Minister Donny Ermawan Taufanto; Rector of the Defence University Lieutenant General (Ret.) Anton Nugroho; and PT Pindad President Director Sigit P. Santosa,” Seskab added.
In several photos released by the Cabinet Secretariat, the Hambalang meeting today was also attended by the head of the State Intelligence Agency M. Herindra; the head of the Agency for Development Control and Special Investigations Aries Marsudiyanto; the head of the Indonesian Army’s Strategic Intelligence Agency BAIS Lieutenant General Yudi Abrimantyo; and the head of the Defence Ministry’s Defence Logistics Agency Major General (Air Force) Yusuf Jauhari.