Prabowo Hits Mining Entrepreneurs: Don't Be Rich from Indonesia, the Money is Brought Out

Prabowo Subianto delivered a strong message about the control of natural resources. (IST)

CILACAP - President Prabowo Subianto delivered a stern message about the control of natural resources. He said Indonesia should not become a "rice field" and "farm" for parties who take the country's wealth and take the results abroad.

Prabowo made the statement during the groundbreaking of 13 national downstream projects phase II in Cilacap, Central Java, Wednesday, April 29, 2026.

According to Prabowo, a nation that wants to be independent must have the courage to control and process its own resources. He called the downstream as a form of courage.

"A nation that wants to be free, a nation that wants to remain free, must be brave and capable of mastering the nation's resources," said Prabowo.

Prabowo alluded to parties who received mining concessions, plantation concessions, even loans from people's banks. However, when it was successful, the results of its business were not placed in Indonesia.

He questioned the nationalism of such groups.

"The Indonesian nation does not want to be someone else's field. It does not want to be someone else's field," he said.

Prabowo also warned smart people, technocrats, and officials not to use their intelligence to deceive the people, cover up corruption, or enrich other nations.

"Choose, defend your people or serve others," he said.

For Prabowo, industrialization is not just an economic project. This is about who holds Indonesia's wealth and who enjoys the results.