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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Elections & Politics

Prabowo: If the People Starve, Other Nations Won't Care

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • President Prabowo Subianto stated that Indonesia must achieve self-sufficiency, as other nations will not offer aid if its people suffer from hunger or hardship.
  • He emphasized that true independence requires prosperity and urged Indonesians to honestly assess the nation's economic growth and its equitable distribution.
  • Prabowo highlighted Indonesia's abundant natural resources but acknowledged they have not been fully utilized for the people's welfare.

President Prabowo Subianto declared that Indonesia must stand on its own feet, asserting that no other nation will show compassion if its people face hardship. Speaking at the commemoration of Pancasila Day on Monday, June 1, 2026, Prabowo stressed the importance of national self-reliance.

Indeed, no other nation will pity us. If our people are hungry, if our people are in difficulty, no other nation, no other power, will pity or help us.

— Prabowo SubiantoPresident Prabowo Subianto emphasized the need for national self-reliance during a speech on Pancasila Day.

"Indeed, no other nation will pity us," Prabowo stated. "If our people are hungry, if our people are in difficulty, no other nation, no other power, will pity or help us." He cautioned against bequeathing short-term conveniences that compromise the future and affirmed that a nation cannot be truly independent without prosperity.

Drawing inspiration from Indonesia's founding father, Sukarno, Prabowo urged the nation to embrace self-sufficiency. "As our nation's founder, as our proclaimer, Bung Karno once advised us, we must dare to stand on our own feet. That is the essence of a sovereign state," he said.

As our nation's founder, as our proclaimer, Bung Karno once advised us, we must dare to stand on our own feet. That is the essence of a sovereign state.

— Prabowo SubiantoPresident Prabowo Subianto invoked the spirit of Indonesia's first president, Sukarno, to advocate for national independence.

Prabowo also called for a candid assessment of Indonesia's economic situation. While acknowledging decades of economic growth, he questioned whether this progress has been distributed fairly among all citizens. "For the past few decades, Indonesia's economy has indeed grown. But has that growth been equitable, has it been felt fairly by all the people of Indonesia?" he asked. He pointed to Indonesia's vast natural wealth, noting its position as a major producer of essential global commodities, yet lamented that this wealth has too long failed to translate into widespread public welfare.

For the past few decades, Indonesia's economy has indeed grown. But has that growth been equitable, has it been felt fairly by all the people of Indonesia? Let us honestly look at the reality we face now.

— Prabowo SubiantoPresident Prabowo Subianto urged a realistic evaluation of Indonesia's economic growth and its impact on the populace.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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