President Prabowo Reaffirms Commitment to Develop Self-Sufficient Indonesia

President Prabowo Subianto, Saturday (09/19), underscored the importance of developing Indonesia as a nation that is self-sufficient and capable of standing on its own feet.

“No country succeeds and no country is truly independent, if it cannot produce food for its own people. Alhamdulillah, Indonesia has achieved food self-sufficiency; Indonesia is now able to produce food for its own citizens,” the President stated at his remarks at the centennial celebration of the Darussalam Gontor modern Islamic boarding school in Ponorogo regency, East Java province.

On that occasion, the President also reaffirmed commitment to eradicating poverty and ensuring that the basic needs of the people are met.

“I do not want there to be any hungry people in this country. Indonesia is fertile and rich in resources; no one should go hungry on Indonesian soil. Therefore, I intend to strive with all my might to eliminate poverty from Indonesia,” he added.

According to the President, the Government continues to work toward strengthening self-sufficiency across various sectors, including agriculture and maritime industry. The Head of State also emphasized that farmers and fishers play a crucial role in these efforts.

“Every night, tens of thousands of foreign vessels are present in Indonesian waters. Vast amounts of our marine wealth are being taken without any countermeasures. Now, we are taking actions. Starting next year, we will build thousands of fishing boats for our fishers,” the President declared.

President Prabowo also expressed belief that Indonesia’s self-sufficiency requires human capital that are knowledgeable, free-thinking, and possess a great spirit. To this end, he encourages the nation’s youth to develop critical thinking skills, resist undue influence from others, and maintain the conviction to fight for the interests of the nation and the Indonesian people.

“Indonesia’s leaders must be intelligent. They cannot be deceived or outwitted by others. They must also be free thinkers. Do not allow yourselves to be brainwashed by those who harbor ill will toward the nation. They must also possess a great spirit; do not harbor feelings of inferiority or accept defeat before the fight has even begun,” the President remarked. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (GWH/MMB)