TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Prabowo reminds media to put ‘national interest’ first during Press Day celebration
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
President Prabowo Subianto delivers a speech at a plenary cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Jan. 22, 2025. (Antara/Hafidz Mubarak A)
P
resident Prabowo Subianto called for the collective media and journalists across the country to “prioritize the interests of the nation” and help build the nation together during his speech to commemorate the 79th National Press Day on Sunday.
Through a video uploaded by the Presidential Secretariat channel on YouTube, Prabowo congratulated the local press and praised their decades of hard work in keeping watch over the country’s democracy.
The President also reminded all members of the press to “always prioritize the interests of the nation” and that they must be wary of “efforts to control people’s thoughts and influence public opinion”.
“In this world, there’s a tendency for those with large capital to control the media and want to influence the people in particular countries,” Prabowo said.
“While we uphold press freedom, we need to be aware of fake news that spreads hate, distrust and divides the nation.”
The President further added that a responsible press should know what constitutes the national interest.
“The Indonesian press needs to have Pancasila [in its spirit], contribute to the national development and commit to the country,” he concluded, referring to the state’s ideology that has served as a common footing to weave together the diverse and disparate elements of Indonesia.
Among Prabowo’s campaign promises for the country, his flagship free meals program, began in January despite criticism over its quality and concerns over its high cost.
