Jakarta — President Prabowo Subianto on Saturday framed Indonesia’s state budget as more than a fiscal instrument, describing it as a “manifestation of the nation’s struggle” and a tool of statecraft meant to protect citizens and strengthen national foundations.
In remarks delivered during a policy address in Jakarta, Prabowo emphasized that the state budget, or APBN, should not be reduced to “mere numbers on paper,” but understood as a mechanism to ensure public welfare and long-term national resilience.
“I believe the APBN is not just numbers on paper,” he said. “The APBN is a manifestation of the nation’s struggle, a state instrument to protect the people, strengthen the nation’s foundations, and ensure that every citizen can live more prosperously.”
The president underscored what he described as the moral imperative of economic governance, urging boldness in confronting national challenges and in managing Indonesia’s natural resources for public benefit. He pointed to the constitutional mandate under Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution, which stipulates that natural resources must be used for the greatest prosperity of the people.
“We must be brave in facing every problem, brave in processing and managing our own national wealth,” he said. “Indonesia is a great nation. All of our natural resources must truly be utilized for the greatest prosperity of the people, as mandated by Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution.”
Prabowo also outlined an economic vision centered on what he called “people-oriented policies,” highlighting the roles of teachers, farmers, fishermen, and industrial workers as central pillars of national development.
“We want economic policies that favor the people,” he said, “to the teachers who educate the future of the nation, to the farmers and fishermen who safeguard food security, and to the workers who are the backbone of development.”
His remarks come as the administration continues to prioritize industrial downstreaming, food security, and energy resilience—policy directions that have been repeatedly emphasized in government economic planning. The president said these efforts would be expanded to create jobs and ensure more even development across the vast Indonesian archipelago.
“The government will continue to strengthen national industrial downstreaming, strengthen food and energy resilience, open more job opportunities, and ensure development is distributed evenly throughout Indonesia,” he said.
Beyond economic policy, Prabowo also stressed social cohesion and basic welfare guarantees, describing a vision of a country where citizens live in harmony and have sufficient access to food, clothing, and housing.
“We want all people to live in harmony, in peace, and with adequate food, clothing, and shelter,” he said. “The state must be present and work for that.”
Concluding his remarks, the president expressed confidence that unity and perseverance would allow Indonesia to achieve long-term sovereignty and self-reliance.
“With unity, courage, and hard work,” he said, “Indonesia will become a sovereign nation capable of standing on its own feet.”
