Prabowo Signals Budget Cuts for Military, Police to Fight Poverty

President Prabowo Subianto has indicated a potential reduction in the budgets allocated to the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) and the National Police, signaling a strategic shift towards prioritizing poverty eradication. Prabowo voiced this idea during a TNI harvest festival in Malang, East Java, emphasizing efficiency and resource reallocation.

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We will save the budget, we will make it more efficient. If necessary, we will reduce the defense and police budget to eradicate poverty.

"We will save the budget, we will make it more efficient. If necessary, we will reduce the defense and police budget to eradicate poverty," Prabowo declared on Friday, July 17, 2026. He directly questioned the readiness of TNI and Police leadership to accept such cuts, to which they responded with laughter and nods. Prabowo articulated his belief that a strong and prosperous populace forms the nation's most robust defense.

This stance appears to diverge from ongoing budget deliberations. Current discussions in the House of Representatives suggest an increase for the police in 2027, with an initial indicative budget of Rp118 trillion and a proposed additional Rp66.1 trillion. Similarly, the Ministry of Defense, which includes the TNI, has an indicative budget of Rp139 trillion, with a proposed additional Rp195 trillion.

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Are TNI and police willing? Will you reduce the budget willingly? Willingly?

Prabowo's emphasis on the people as the ultimate defenders of Indonesia suggests a philosophy where societal well-being is paramount to national security. His call for the TNI and Police to be "among the people" further underscores this perspective, advocating for a closer connection between the security forces and the citizenry they serve.

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That's why from now on, the TNI and Police should be among the people.