In Conversation With President-Elect Prabowo Subianto

Summary

In this interview, President-elect Prabowo Subianto discusses his vision for Indonesia, focusing on continuity of nation-building efforts. He emphasizes addressing food security, energy sustainability, and corruption, while also setting ambitious growth targets. Prabowo is confident in achieving 7-8% economic growth and prioritizes agricultural and energy sectors. He defends the decision to relocate Indonesia's capital and insists his policies will benefit the people. Prabowo also highlights his leadership principles, aiming for the well-being of the population and promising to uphold democratic values, despite concerns about his military background influencing his governance.

Takeaways

• 🗣️ The newly elected president emphasized his readiness to lead Indonesia, a nation of 280 million people, with ambitions to become the fifth-largest economy by 2050.
• 🏛️ He promised to build upon the foundation laid by the previous administration, focusing on long-term national development.
• 🌾 Food security, self-sufficiency, and addressing hunger are central to his policy agenda, especially in the agricultural sector.
• 💡 He aims to reduce corruption and waste, and he's confident in achieving ambitious economic growth targets of 8% within the first two years of his administration.
• 🔋 A key strategy includes transitioning to green energy, such as producing diesel from palm oil, which could save the country billions in energy imports.
• 📊 The president is confident in maintaining a budget deficit of 3%, while introducing fiscal reforms and efficient government administration.
• 🌍 He plans to rely on domestic resources to fund the massive $35 billion capital city relocation project, expecting foreign investment to follow later.
• 💼 His military background raised concerns about the potential for a more authoritarian leadership style, but he emphasized his long departure from the military and his commitment to democratic values.
• 📚 He discussed plans to provide free lunches and milk to students, addressing questions about how the government would fund such social programs.
• 🇮🇩 Ultimately, the president’s primary motivation is improving the well-being of the Indonesian people, as he seeks to uplift the poor and create a lasting legacy of progress and prosperity.

Q & A

Who is the newly elected president being interviewed in the transcript?

The newly elected president being interviewed is Prabowo Subianto.

What is one of Prabowo Subianto's main goals as president?

One of Prabowo Subianto's main goals as president is to ensure food security and energy self-sufficiency for Indonesia.

How does Prabowo plan to address hunger in Indonesia?

Prabowo plans to focus on agriculture, food production, and distribution to eradicate hunger and improve food security.

What is Prabowo's strategy for reducing corruption and waste in the government?

Prabowo aims to cut down on corruption and waste by focusing on prudent fiscal management and efficient governance.

Can Indonesia achieve high economic growth during Prabowo’s first term?

Prabowo is confident that Indonesia can achieve at least 7-8% growth in his first term by focusing on agriculture and green energy initiatives.

How does Prabowo plan to reduce Indonesia's dependency on fuel imports?

Prabowo plans to produce bio-diesel from palm oil, which would reduce Indonesia's annual fuel imports and save billions of dollars.

What is Prabowo’s stance on free lunches and milk programs for students?

Prabowo supports providing free lunches and milk for students, confident that the budget deficit can be managed to accommodate these social programs.

Why does Prabowo believe moving Indonesia’s capital city is necessary?

Prabowo believes moving the capital is necessary to address the rising sea levels threatening Jakarta and to promote growth outside Java.

How does Prabowo respond to concerns about his military background influencing his policies?

Prabowo emphasizes that he has been out of the military for over 25 years and that his leadership will focus on the well-being of the people, not through a military lens.

Why does Prabowo feel a deep desire to serve as president of Indonesia?

Prabowo feels a deep desire to serve because he is troubled by the poverty many Indonesians face, especially as Indonesia is a G20 member and a major global economy.