Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Inauguration of Meninting Dam, Rukoh Dam, Keureuto Dam, Jlantah Dam, and Sidan Dam at Meninting Dam, West Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province, Friday, July 10, 2026

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

Good afternoon.

May peace and prosperity be upon us all.

Shalom.

Salve.

Om Swastiastu.

Namo Buddhaya.

Greetings of virtue.

Distinguished Minister of Public Works, Mr. Dody Hanggodo, as the organizer of this event, and all officials of the Ministry of Public Works;

Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Mr. Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono; Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs, Mr. Zulkifli Hasan; Minister of State Secretary, Mr. Prasetyo Hadi; Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Andi Amran Sulaiman; Commander of the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI), General Agus Subiyanto; Chief of the Indonesian National Police (Polri), General Listyo Sigit Prabowo; Cabinet Secretary of the Republic of Indonesia, Lieutenant Colonel Teddy Indra Wijaya;

Governor of West Nusa Tenggara, Mr. Muhammad Iqbal, and members of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum of West Nusa Tenggara;

Governor of Bali, Mr. I Wayan Koster, joining us via video conference; Regent of West Lombok, Mr. Lalu Ahmad Zaini; Mayor of Mataram, Mr. Mohan Roliskana; Regent of Bima, Mr. Andi Mahyudi; Regent of Dompu, Mr. Bambang Firdaus; Regent of Sumbawa, Mr. Syarafuddin Jarot; Regent of East Lombok, Mr. Khairul Warisin; Regent of Central Lombok, Mr. Lalu Fathul Bahri; Regent of North Lombok, Mr. Najmul Akhyar. Are they all joining by video conference? Ah, they are all present;

Distinguished leaders of state-owned enterprises and private companies;

Distinguished Members of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia;

Regional leaders and members of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum of the four dams joining us via video conference: Jlantah Dam in Karanganyar Regency, Central Java Province; Sidan Dam in Gianyar Regency, Bali Province; Keureuto Dam in North Aceh Regency, Aceh Province; and Rukoh Dam in Pidie Regency, Aceh Province;

Distinguished religious leaders, community leaders, and representatives of farmers’ groups; all members of the communities residing in the vicinity of these dams;

Distinguished guests; my fellow citizens who are participating in this event.

As faithful servants of God, let us never cease to offer our praise and gratitude to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, the Almighty Lord, the Sovereign of all creation. To Him alone do we pray, and from Him alone do we seek help. We are grateful for all His blessings, His grace, His goodness, and the peace He continues to bestow upon us. We are thankful for the health and the breath of life He has granted us, enabling us to gather together on this joyous occasion.

I feel deeply honored and proud to have been invited here today and to have the opportunity to meet the people of West Nusa Tenggara directly, who have supported me for many years. Although I lost several times, the people of West Nusa Tenggara remained steadfast in their support for me. I feel that I still owe a great deal to the people of West Nusa Tenggara. Do not worry, we still have several years ahead of us. Thank you for this opportunity. My sincere appreciation goes to the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. I also thank the entire Public Works family for the years of dedication and hard work.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Building a nation is a monumental undertaking and a long-term endeavor. Nation-building cannot be accomplished in one year, two years, or even decades. We heard earlier that the construction of this dam began in… what year was it? [Year of] 2015, 2014. If everyone is speaking at once, I cannot hear clearly. Minister of Public Works, when did this project begin? In 2019? Very well. The infrastructure projects of this scale require time, financial resources, and considerable effort. I am grateful to have the honor of inaugurating these dams today, but all of my predecessors also deserve recognition for their contributions. I always remind all Indonesians to think for the sake of the country, to think of the people, and to think for the common good. Let us think of the entire Indonesian people, regardless of where they come from, their ethnicities, their religions, or their backgrounds. That is the message I consistently seek to convey.

I happen to have a keen interest in studying history. It has long been one of my passions. I continue to study history and have never stopped doing so, even to this day. Through my study of the history of human civilization, I have arrived at several convictions. The nations that succeed, the nations that become great, and the nations that achieve prosperity for their people are those that remain united. They are nations with greatness of spirit, not pettiness of character. They are not nations driven by resentment. They are not nations divided into factions or consumed by envy. They are not nations filled with suspicion or jealousy. Nor are they nations whose people think only of themselves or their own groups. Our loyalty must be to our homeland, to the Red and White, and to our nation and state. To love our homeland is to love the Indonesian nation. We must respect and cherish our own nation, because no other nation will do so on our behalf. No other nation will take pity on us. Indeed, throughout history, there have been those who sought to divide us, to pit us against one another, to divide us again and again through the policy of divide et impera.

Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, I am grateful. It is the symbol of hard work and symbol of unity. The administration that had made the initial investment, carried out groundbreaking and commenced construction is probably not the one that has the privilege of inaugurating them. That is what nation building is all about. That is what national resurgence looks like. Nation building and national resurgence do not simply fall from the sky. Prosperity does not grow on trees or descend from heaven. Prosperity is achieved through great effort, hard work, and unity.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As I mentioned earlier, history teaches us that successful nations are unified nations, especially among their leaders. Their political and national leaders must stand together. They must be legowo, a Javanese expression meaning to be sincere and magnanimous. Mr. Lalu, what is the word’s equivalent in the Sasak language? Lapang dada, to be broad-minded. As a nation that endured centuries of colonial rule, that was humiliated and regarded as being of less worth than a dog, whose wealth was exploited, we continue, even today, to face those who still underestimate us. There are certain groups, certain nations, and certain countries that envy us because of our abundant natural wealth. They continue to seek ways to appropriate our resources and, if possible, to see Indonesia divided.

Ladies and gentlemen,

At every occasion, I always remind you. There are those who do not believe in Prabowo. That is perfectly acceptable. What matters is that we understand the challenges before us. I am grateful for the trust placed in me by the Indonesian people. They elected me, and I will remain loyal to them with everything I have, with all my strength, all my thoughts, and all my energy. I have only one purpose: to dedicate myself to serving my nation and my people. I will not let myself get intimidated, and I will never surrender, especially when my people are under threat. I will not let Indonesians live in poverty. I will not let Indonesian children suffer from hunger. Regardless of whether a small number of elites in Jakarta may believe that hunger is not an important issue, I hold a different view. If there are Indonesians who suffer from hunger, that matters to me. No nation can truly succeed unless it is able to produce enough food for its own people. Alhamdulillah (praise be to God), Indonesia is now capable of providing food for its own people. The challenges facing Indonesia are challenges that belong to all of us. Therefore, I call upon all of us, especially our bureaucrats, to engage in self-reflection. I see many bureaucrats here today. Bureaucrats, reflect on your responsibilities. All of us must do self-reflection. Military and police officers must also do self-reflection. You belong to the people. Your rank comes from the people. Your boots come from the people. Your cap comes from the people. Never forget that. The same applies to the Prosecutor’s Office. You wear insignia as well. You, too, belong to the people.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We should be grateful for the achievements we have accomplished in such a short period of time, despite considerable resistance from various groups, particularly those involved in corruption. There are members of the press here today, so I must choose my words carefully. I must speak politely. I should not call corruptors scoundrels. I must not say that, because that would surely become the headline. A President must speak courteously and with restraint. Is that not so? Would you prefer that I speak politely, or that I speak frankly? At times, I am grateful that I have already retired. Sometimes, when confronted with corruptors and thieves, I know exactly how I would like to respond. However, everything must be dealt with in accordance with due legal process. That is precisely what we will do. We will uphold the rule of law, ladies and gentlemen. And the law must apply equally to everyone, not only to the powerful and not only to the wealthy.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The five dams we are inaugurating today represent a state investment of approximately Rp 9.79 trillion. Yesterday was also a historic day. I officially launched the [B50] program, so that Indonesia is the first country in the world capable of producing diesel fuel from plant-based feedstock, specifically palm oil. Our diesel fuel now consists of 50 percent biofuel from palm oil. Beginning now, we have started to phase out imports of diesel fuel from abroad. As a result, we will save approximately Rp 170 trillion. Consider this: today we are inaugurating five dams, which, according to the Minister of Agriculture, together with modern technology and superior seed varieties, will be capable of producing one million tons of rice. These five dams required an investment of Rp 9.79 trillion. Yet through B50, we will save Rp 170 trillion. Imagine how many more dams we could build every year. Roughly speaking, that is equivalent to seventeen times five. Minister of State Secretary, what is seventeen times five? Eighty-five. Our Minister of State Secretary is smart. That is one reason he serves as Minister of State Secretary.

Ladies and gentlemen,

This is a remarkable achievement. Indonesia is the first country in the world, first, to have the courage to implement B50, and second, to have successfully done so. When we first introduced this initiative, many opposed it. They said it could not be done. They warned that the B50 fuel can damage engines, that manufacturers would refuse to supply us with equipment, and they offered countless other objections. In truth, they simply did not want Indonesia to adopt B50 because they preferred that we continue importing diesel fuel. Imports created opportunities for commissions. Imagine Rp 170 trillion, if the commission amounted to 20 percent, how much would that be? Around Rp 34 trillion, benefiting only a small number of individuals.

What we are striving for, what I am striving for together with my administration, with the coalition that supports me, and under the mandate entrusted to us by the Indonesian people, is to achieve prosperity for our nation by reducing corruption, and if possible, eradicating it altogether, while promoting efficiency. This is our struggle for a prosperous Indonesia. Indonesia cannot become prosperous if corruption continues unchecked. Indonesia cannot prosper while so much of its wealth continues to leak away.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I consistently remind all state officials, all public servants of the government, the bureaucracy, every ministry, and every institution, that we must improve ourselves and strengthen our integrity. I do not wish to dwell on the past, but I ask each of you to reform yourselves and to engage in sincere self-reflection. Do not stand against the will of the people. The people cannot tolerate corruption. The people do not want fraud to continue.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am also greatly encouraged by several recent reports on the progress we have achieved. State-owned enterprises that had become centers of corruption for decades are gradually being reformed. May I speak a little longer? Governor, would that be acceptable? It would be rather strange if I simply came here, inaugurate the project, and immediately return home. Would you prefer that I simply come, inaugurate the projects, and leave? Perhaps bureaucrats would not mind, but what about the people? Would you like me to continue? Because what I am about to say is important.

Ladies and gentlemen,

There is a challenge that exists not only in Indonesia but also across the globe: Social media can be manipulated. Those with financial resources can shape narratives on social media. Therefore, what appears on social media is not always the truth. I warn our people not to be misled. Do not be deceived. Place your trust in the leaders whom you have elected.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I have received reports showing that several state-owned enterprises that had operated at a loss for decades have finally begun to turn a profit this year. When I was inaugurated as President, I was genuinely surprised. I had never realized how many state-owned enterprises Indonesia actually had. I had always assumed there were perhaps 300, or at most 400. Only after taking office was I informed that there were 1,077 state-owned enterprises. And there may well have been even more through their subsidiary companies, sub-subsidiaries, and additional layers of corporate entities. These structures had become a means of concealing state funds and the people’s money. We are now putting an end to that. To date, we have already closed 240 state-owned enterprises that were no longer operating properly. By the end of July, we will close 250. By 31 December 2026, we will have closed 800 inefficient state-owned enterprises that have never generated profits and have continued to incur losses. Through savings on directors’ salaries and other administrative overhead alone, we have already reduced expenditures by nearly Rp 70 trillion.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Many companies were previously on the verge of being sold to foreign interests. I prohibited those sales. Our defense industries were about to be sold. PT PAL (state-owned shipbuilder) was to be sold. PT Pindad (state-owned arms manufacturer) was to be sold. PT Dirgantara Indonesia (state-owned aircraft maker) was weakened and was to be sold. Instead, we have revived them. We will continue to strengthen all of these enterprises. PT PAL is now capable of building advanced warships. PT PAL can now build submarines and will continue producing increasingly sophisticated naval vessels. I have just received another encouraging report. PT Pindad has secured a contract from Saudi Arabia. All rifles and machine guns for the Saudi Arabian Army will be manufactured by PT Pindad. Our defense equipment has proven its quality. The Indonesian Army has been the overall champion thirteen times at shooting competition in Australia. Is that correct? Thirteen times. Is the competition held every year or every two years? Every two years. That means that for twenty-six years, the Indonesian Army has consistently emerged as the best marksmen in the Asia Pacific region, competing against the armed forces of Australia, the United States, Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and many other capable militaries. Each time Indonesia wins, some become suspicious and wonder whether we must have cheated. But how could we have cheated? It is their competition. They organize it. It is held at their facilities. They establish the rules. Yet our soldiers continue to emerge victorious. What does this demonstrate? It shows that Indonesian soldiers, who are overwhelmingly the sons and daughters of ordinary farming families rather than wealthy households, can compete with the very best. When they are properly equipped, properly fed without corruption depriving them of their rations, provided with capable commanders, sufficient ammunition, and adequate training, they become champions among the finest soldiers in the world. This, once again, is a symbol.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In the eighteen months since my administration took office, we have achieved several historic milestones. For the first time in the history of the Republic of Indonesia, we have succeeded in lowering fertilizer prices. For the first time in decades, Indonesia has achieved a surplus in rice production. Have we also achieved a surplus in corn? Oh, we have achieved a surplus in corn for animal feed. Thank you. My appreciation goes to the TNI and the National Police for your contributions. Both institutions have worked tirelessly to help us achieve food self sufficiency. For the first time in the history of the Republic of Indonesia, we also have our own sovereign wealth fund, known as Danantara. Danantara is now perhaps the fifth largest sovereign wealth fund in the world. This fund represents the collective economic strength of the Indonesian people. Many opposed this initiative at the outset, but gradually we have demonstrated that it is working. Garuda Indonesia (state-owned airline company) was once on the verge of being sold. I prohibited that sale. Today, the airline is recovering, and beginning next month it is expected to record a profit after decades of losses. Step by step, we are correcting these shortcomings.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I instruct the relevant authorities charged with the responsibility of safeguarding these dams to manage them professionally and maintain them properly. Above all, ensure that the water needed by our farmers reaches them. Our farmers are the producers of our food. Without food, there can be no nation.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Every rupiah belonging to the people must be used for the benefit of the Indonesian people. I am confident that Indonesia will become the granary of the world. After years of importing food, we have now begun exporting it to other countries. Several nations are now requesting our assistance. Even Australia has approached us to ask whether we can supply them with urea. Similar requests have come from Brazil, the Philippines, and India. Without making excessive claims or seeking unnecessary publicity, Indonesia is demonstrating that it is a nation on the rise and will continue to advance.

To the leaders of West Nusa Tenggara, to the governors, regents, and the elite, I order you to govern wisely, govern well, and govern with genuine love for the people. The guiding principle is simple: love your people and take care of them. Formulate policies based on sound judgment and common sense. Never seek personal wealth at the expense of the suffering of ordinary citizens. Reject such intentions completely. That is the worst sin. Never forget that leaders exist to serve the people, not to make their lives more difficult. Thank you. I call upon every element of our nation to unite. Let us forgive one another for our shortcomings, for all of us have them. Let us remain united. Let us cultivate good intentions and do good deeds. Let us not harbor ill will, act deceitfully, cheat, or lie. A leader who habitually lies is a disaster for the people.

I believe that is sufficient. Is that enough? Enough? What? Continue? Is there any coffee? With your permission, may I? If the religious leaders say it is permissible, then I shall have some coffee. The thing is that once I drink coffee, I might end up speaking for another three hours. Would you be willing to listen to me for three hours? The members of the press would certainly enjoy that. They are all waiting to see what Prabowo will say next. They are all smiling. If I simply read a prepared speech, you would not find it very interesting. A written speech is bound to be well crafted. But when I speak without a script, everyone wants to see whether I might make a mistake. That does not concern me, because I speak from the heart.

I want Indonesia to become a great nation. I want the Indonesian people to prosper. I want even the poorest among our citizens to smile because they have hope. I do not want to see Indonesians living in poverty. I do not want to see children suffering from hunger. We will continue implementing the Free Nutritious Meals program. However, we are also aware that there are individuals attempting to exploit the program for personal gain. Therefore, I instruct governors, regents, district heads, and village heads to inspect every Free Nutritious Meals kitchen. Report any irregularities to the Head of the National Nutrition Agency. If necessary, report them directly to me. It is easy enough. Post it on TikTok, and I will immediately send a team to investigate. There is no need to search for my telephone number. Commanders of Military District Commands, Police Resort Commands, and Police Sector Commands are also welcome to conduct inspections. Inspect them properly and in good faith. Do not summon people merely to intimidate them or make life difficult for them. I have lived in Indonesia long enough to know how these things sometimes work. No one should be using inspections as an opportunity to demand unofficial payments. The people will watch you. Today, the people are well informed. They all have smartphones.

Nevertheless, evil-minded people seem to always manage to steal from other people. It never ceases to surprise me. Take a chicken, for example. Normally, one chicken can be divided into eight portions. In a wealthy country such as the United States, one chicken may be divided into four portions, with one person receiving a quarter of the chicken. That is possible in a wealthy country. Here, one chicken may reasonably be divided into eight, ten, or perhaps twelve portions. But certainly not into eighteen or twenty-two portions. Ah, there are journalists here. Otherwise, I would say more. I must be careful, or I will be scolded. Surely we can tell the difference between a chicken divided into twelve portions and one divided into twenty. The portions become noticeably smaller. Ms. Nanik, if you happen to hear this speech, please avoid serving omelets in the Free Nutritious Meals program. Serve boiled or fried eggs instead. Omelets are often mixed with various additional ingredients, and one egg ends up being shared among four people. Scrambled eggs are even worse, because by the time they are prepared, there seems to be even less egg left.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Free Nutritious Meals program is of tremendous strategic importance because it provides meals for our children, our next generation. Their brain cells must develop properly. Their bones must grow strong. Their muscles must develop well. Healthy children will become healthy farmers, productive workers, scientists, or doctors. If children do not receive proper nutrition from their early age, they will never be able to reach their full potential. We may well be the only country that provides meals for pregnant women. Is that correct? Are there still some areas that have not yet received the program? Yes, I ask for your patience. This is our struggle. I hope the program will reach all areas by the end of this year or early next year. Indonesia is an enormous country. Naturally, there are still villages that have not yet been reached. I fully understand that.

Ladies and gentlemen,

That concludes my remarks. Thank you for your attention. These dams are only symbols of what lies ahead. We must continue working even harder. We need more dams, and we need larger dams. We will also develop one hundred gigawatts of solar power capacity. We are embarking on an era of large-scale national development. In time, the world will witness what a rising Indonesia truly looks like. We will prove that Indonesia will emerge as a great nation. Thank you.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

May peace and prosperity be upon us all.

Shalom.

Om santi santi santi om.

I thank you.

That concludes my remarks.

Independence!

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

This afternoon, Friday, 10 July 2026, by the grace of Almighty God, I, Prabowo Subianto, President of the Republic of Indonesia, hereby inaugurate the Meninting Dam in West Nusa Tenggara Province; the Rukoh and Keureuto Dams in Aceh Province; the Jlantah Dam in Central Java Province; and the Sidan Dam in Bali Province. (RI/TM)