West Java '98 Activists Affirm Support for President Prabowo's Populist Programmes
Bandung, VIVA – Dozens of 1998 activists from Lingkar 98 West Java (Jabar), alongside the 98 Resolution Network, held a movement consolidation and press conference at a restaurant in Bandung on Monday, 6 July 2026.
Exponents of the ’98 movement invited reform-era actors to engage in introspection regarding their contributions to political democracy over the past 28 years of the Reformation era.
“During the Reformation, natural resources have been controlled by a small group referred to as ‘serakahnomic’. This is equivalent to hijacking political democracy and the livelihoods of the masses,” said Agus Teddy Sumantrium, spokesperson for the 98 Resolution Network, to journalists on Monday, 6 July 2026.
He stated that as supporters of the Prabowo-Gibran administration, Lingkar 98 West Java emphasises that the nation’s democratic system must be based on Socio-Democracy, rather than Western-style liberal democracy which only guarantees freedom at the ballot box.
“This Western-style democracy ignores the people’s access to the nation’s wealth. In reality, under Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution, the nation’s natural resources are to be managed by the state to increase the welfare of its people,” added Teddy.
Meanwhile, 98 Resolution Network activist Agustin Lumban Gaol mentioned that there are eight points of view and stances held by Lingkar 98 West Java and the 98 Resolution Network to address the nation’s problems and issues.
First, Eradication of Corruption from the Source. Lingkar 98 West Java and the 98 Resolution Network fully support President Prabowo’s steps in executing the reform mandate: “Seize the assets of corruptors to subsidise the people.”
“This is evidenced by the seizure of Rp 13.25 trillion in corruption funds related to CPO (Wilmar Group), the seizure of Rp 11.42 trillion related to administrative fines for forest area violations, and the seizure of Rp 920 billion and 51 kg of gold from the broker in the Zarof Ricar Supreme Court case,” said Agustin.
Furthermore, they called for the eradication of the oil and gas mafia, specifically mentioning Riza Chalid. The seized funds, as emphasised by the President, will be used to build public schools, fishing villages, and other projects for the benefit of the people.
“To provide a deterrent effect, we urge law enforcement to impose heavy sentences on corruptors, with a minimum of life imprisonment, because they have betrayed the people, the state, and the trust placed in them by President Prabowo,” Agustin asserted.
Lingkar 98 West Java Coordinator Hadi Gunadi continued, noting that the approach to eradicating corruption is now more progressive as it targets corruption involving state revenue sources, natural resource management, and the misuse of concession permits, rather than merely focusing on corruption in state spending.