President Prabowo Subianto: Gov’t Implements Articles 33 and 34 of the Constitution to Ensure Welfare for All

President Prabowo Subianto has emphasized that the Government is implementing the mandate of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, particularly Articles 33 and 34, as the foundation for managing national wealth and delivering welfare for all citizens.

The President delivered this statement at the Plenary Cabinet Meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta, Monday (07/20).

According to him, the state philosophy formulated by the founding fathers remains relevant in addressing today’s development challenges, noting that Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution emerged from the Indonesian people’s long experience under colonial rule and the exploitation of national wealth by foreign powers.

“We are implementing the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. We are implementing Article 33, which states that the economy is organized as a common endeavor based on the principle of family. This must not be treated as a mere slogan or empty rhetoric. The economy is to be organized as a joint effort grounded in family values,” he said.

The Head of State also reminded that the Constitution explicitly mandates that branches of production that are important for the state and affect the livelihood of the people must be controlled by the state.

He added that similarly, land, water, and all the natural resources they contain must be utilized for the greatest prosperity of the people.

President Prabowo Subianto also explained that the implementation of Article 33 is closely linked to Article 34 of the 1945 Constitution, which mandates the state to care for the poor and abandoned children, develop a social security system, empower vulnerable communities, and provide proper health services and public services.

“We are implementing Article 34. We must not allow children from poor families to remain poor, and we must not allow any child to grow up without hope of going to school. The mandate is already being put into practice,” he said.

The Head of State also stressed that all government officials must understand that Indonesia’s independence is inseparable from efforts to meet the basic needs of the people, especially food, adding that a country’s ability to ensure food availability is the most fundamental measure of its success.

“We ask whether a nation can provide food, can feed its people. That is the most fundamental question. What is the meaning of independence, what is the meaning of having the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia, if we cannot provide the most basic requirement of a civilization? The most basic requirement is food,” the President said.

President Prabowo Subianto also stressed that food security can only be achieved through effective management of natural resources, sufficient water availability, environmental sustainability, productive land, and policies that favor the people.

He further noted the Government continues to ensure that food prices remain under control, fertilizers are available to farmers at affordable prices, and public nutrition programs remain in operation.

“Civilization will collapse without food. To secure food, we need water, a preserved environment, fertile land, and the right policies. Today, are food prices under control? Is fertilizer available to the people and to farmers at affordable prices? Are students are receiving nutritious meals at school?” he added, adding that the Government must not allow poverty to be passed down from one generation to the next.

For that reason, the development programs are directed toward expanding access to education, improving health services, strengthening social protection, and providing equal opportunities for all people to enhance their standard of living.

“The state is developing a social security system for all people and empowering vulnerable communities. It is strengthening vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in a manner that upholds human dignity. The state is responsible for providing adequate health care facilities and public service facilities,” he remarked. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (EST/EP)