The Full Text of President Prabowo Subianto’s Letter Responding to Criticism from The Economist

“The easiest way to avoid criticism is to say nothing, do nothing, and be nothing.” After decades of service in the military, public life, and politics, I have come to appreciate the profound truth of that old saying.

I welcome criticism. In a democracy, criticism is not merely healthy — it is essential. I have always made it a habit to examine carefully every criticism directed at my government and to weigh it against facts, achievements, and the realities faced by ordinary citizens.

I believe in democracy. Democracy is imperfect, yet it remains the best system available to us. That is why I have faithfully participated in the democratic process. I ran for the presidency not once, not twice, but five times since 2004 — in 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019, and finally prevailed in 2024. I understand very well that democratic legitimacy is earned through patience, public trust, and respect for the will of the people.

Yet our responsibility as a government is to serve all Indonesians, not merely the more than 90 million citizens who voted for us in the most recent election. We must work for our shared future and deliver on the platform upon which we were elected, as every democratic government ought to do. After decades in which Indonesia was too often described as a nation of unrealized potential, we are determined to ensure that this country finally fulfills the promise and strength inherent in its people. We pursue that goal not through rigid dogma or ideology, but through pragmatism, professionalism, and measurable results.

At times, however, certain criticisms seem detached from the realities faced by Indonesians in their daily lives.

I was, for instance, surprised by how readily some observers dismissed our Free Nutritious Meals Program. For me, it is difficult to ignore the fact that one in five Indonesian children suffers from stunting due to malnutrition, or that millions of pregnant women and young children fail to receive adequate nutrition during the most critical stages of human development.

More than one hundred countries around the world operate nutritional assistance or school meal programs in one form or another. Indonesia is not pursuing anything radical or unusual. We are addressing a national challenge that directly affects the future health, productivity, and competitiveness of our people.

The same philosophy underpins our broader investments in Indonesia’s future. Alongside the nationwide expansion of the Free Nutritious Meals Program, we have upgraded hospitals, provided annual free health check-ups for all citizens, launched the largest school revitalization initiative in Indonesia’s history, established boarding schools for children from the poorest families through the Sekolah Rakyat program, and created Danantara to strengthen the management of national assets and ensure Indonesia captures greater value from its long-term economic transformation. We promised these programs to the Indonesian people, and we have worked tirelessly to fulfill those promises.

A similar misunderstanding often arises in discussions of our broader economic agenda. Where some critics see excessive intervention, I see farmers trapped by middlemen, fishermen burdened by predatory lending, and rural families paying inflated prices for subsidized goods. The old system enriched intermediaries while leaving producers weak and vulnerable. We chose a different path: empowering producers by shortening supply chains, expanding access to affordable credit, and strengthening food and energy security. That is why we have launched our village cooperative program.

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