Indonesian Labor Union Backed Prabowo Since 2014, Says President Iqbal

The Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) has consistently backed President Prabowo Subianto since the 2014 presidential election, according to KSPI President Said Iqbal. He stated that the labor organization declared its support for Prabowo even before Gerindra officially announced his candidacy.

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Since 2014, even before Gerindra announced his candidacy, we declared our support for Prabowo at Gelora Bung Karno. We invited Prabowo, and we stood with Prabowo.

KSPI's backing continued through the 2019 election and was further solidified before the 2024 election, with specific efforts in East Java to collaborate with Prabowo. Iqbal attributed this sustained support to Prabowo's proposed policies focused on welfare, emphasizing his view that the state budget should prioritize wealth distribution alongside economic growth.

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In 2024, we strengthened our support in East Java to work together with Prabowo.

This approach, Iqbal explained, aligns with the principles of a welfare state, including equality and equal opportunities, concepts he noted were also championed by Indonesian founding figures like Soekarno, Mohammad Hatta, and Tan Malaka. Prabowo recently appointed Iqbal as his Special Advisor for Manpower and Workers' Welfare on June 8, 2026.

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In our perspective, this growth must be balanced with fair wealth distribution, equal opportunities, and everyone should have a chance. In simple terms, you can be rich, but don't impoverish us.

In his new advisory role, Iqbal intends to regularly brief the president on workers' issues and offer policy recommendations. He plans to discuss critical matters such as the government's target of 8 percent economic growth, stressing that such expansion must be coupled with fair wealth distribution and equitable access to opportunities. "In simple terms, you can be rich, but don't impoverish us," he stated, advocating for policies that ensure job security, income stability, and social protection for workers.

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There are several matters that I may report directly to the President through coordination with the State Secretary.