Prabowo Says Indonesia’s Poorest Citizens Still Find Reasons to Smile

Jakarta, ThedailyID — President Prabowo Subianto acknowledged that many Indonesians still live below the poverty line. However, he expressed surprise that even the poorest citizens can still smile despite difficult conditions.

“Our people are still largely poor. What is extraordinary is that even our poorest people can still smile,” Prabowo said at the launch of the National Electric Motorcycle (Molinas) in Bekasi on Thursday, August 13.

He described Indonesia’s poorest citizens as people who may have only one set of clothes and live in simple homes. Despite those hardships, he said they continue to show warmth and optimism.

Prabowo said hospitality remains a defining characteristic of Indonesians. He argued that other countries sometimes interpret this friendliness as a sign of weakness.

“We are considered the soft state. Sometimes, we are slow to realize what is happening around us and within our country,” he said.

The president also criticized the long-running exploitation and smuggling of Indonesia’s natural resources. He said the country has not always ensured that those resources benefit the wider population.

Prabowo urged young Indonesians to study history as the country moves toward becoming a developed nation. He warned that failing to understand history could leave Indonesia vulnerable to repeating past mistakes.

“Learn history. A nation that does not understand history will be punished by history,” Prabowo said.

He also highlighted Indonesia’s diversity, noting that the country consists of many ethnic groups, religions and regional languages.

Despite those differences, Prabowo said Indonesians have managed to live together peacefully. He described that social harmony as something that often surprises other nations.

The president said Indonesia’s ability to maintain unity amid its diversity remains one of the country’s strengths as it continues pursuing economic development.