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View all search resultsDon't stop criticizing me, Prabowo urges
In his first State of the Nation address, the President called on all members of society, including bureaucrats, to engage in government oversight by continuing to offer criticism on his administration and its policies.
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President Prabowo Subianto delivers his first State of the Nation address on Aug. 15, 2025, during the annual plenary meeting of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) at the Senayan legislative complex in Jakarta. (Reuters/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Pool)
P
resident Prabowo Subianto said on Friday that he welcomed criticism on the policies of his administration, including from members of his ruling coalition emphasizing that the government needed criticism, even if they were difficult to accept at times.
“We need correction. We need oversight. We need criticism, although some of the criticism can be suffocating. But no problem, don’t stop criticizing,” Prabowo said in his first State of the Nation address, delivered during the annual plenary meeting of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR).
He added that government oversight should come not only from civil society groups, but also from within government.
“I also want members of the [ruling] coalition, from within the coalition, to conduct oversight, to also make corrections,” the President said.
In the early months of his presidency, the Prabowo administration faced scathing criticism over austerity measures that led to a nationwide "Dark Indonesia" protest.
Some of his flagship initiatives have also met with criticism, especially the free nutritious meal program, which has been beset by issues of food quality and food safety, as well as alleged corruption in its supply chain.
Read also: Prabowo spearheads antigraft drive, threatens ‘unpopular actions’
