President Prabowo Reaffirms Article 33 of Constitution as Foundation for People’s Welfare

President Prabowo Subianto attends the commemoration of the 27th Anniversary of the National Awakening Party (PKB), held at Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) in Jakarta on Wednesday (07/23). (Photo by: BPMI of the Presidential Secretariat)

President Prabowo Subianto attended the commemoration of the 27th Anniversary of the National Awakening Party (PKB) at Jakarta Convention Center (JCC) on Wednesday (07/23). In his remarks, the President emphasized that Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution serves as a fundamental pillar guiding the direction of national development, with the ultimate aim of ensuring the security and prosperity of all Indonesian citizens.

“If we examine Article 33 closely, it is actually quite simple, but it outlines what will secure and save the country,” the President stated.

He further underscored that the essence of statehood lies not merely in democratic procedures, but in guaranteeing the well-being of the people. According to the President, the goals of the state, as enshrined in the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution, are to protect the entire nation of Indonesia, promote the general welfare, and advance the intellectual life of the nation.

“When we speak about the state, when we speak about the purpose of the state, it is, ultimately, about ensuring that the people feel safe, that they live in prosperity, that there is no poverty, and that no one goes hungry. That is the very purpose of the state.” the President affirmed.

While acknowledging the importance of democracy, President Prabowo stressed that democratic processes alone are not sufficient if they fail to address the people’s most basic needs.

“Democracy is important, formal democracy, normative democracy, but if people have no decent housing, if they are hungry, if children are stunted, or if they cannot find jobs, then that is not the kind of statehood I aspire to.” he said.

The Head of State went on to say that Article 33 represents a concrete manifestation of the principle of social justice as outlined in the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution. The Preamble affirms that the state’s objectives are to protect all the people and the entirety of the homeland.

“It is the duty of the state to protect its people from poverty, from hunger, and from injustice. The purpose of the state is to promote the general welfare, to advance the intellectual life of the nation, and to participate in the establishment of a world order based on freedom, lasting peace, and social justice.” he continued.

The President also referred to Article 33, Paragraph 1 of the 1945 Constitution, which stipulates that the national economy shall be organized as a common endeavor based on the principles of familial cooperation. In line with this provision, he expressed belief that all Indonesians must be treated as members of one national family, even if such a view contrasts with certain economic doctrines, such as neoliberalism.

“According to neoliberal thought, it’s acceptable for a small group of people to become increasingly wealthy. The theory claims that eventually, this wealth will trickle down. But in reality, that trickle takes an incredibly long time.” the President remarked. (BPMI SETPRES) (AP/MMB)