Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto urged his ministers to ensure that the officials under their leadership work hard and deliver the best possible service to the people of Indonesia. He made this statement while opening the first plenary cabinet session at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Wednesday (October 23).

Prabowo emphasized that Indonesia’s bureaucracy is notorious for being slow and overly complicated. He urged the ministers to tackle any obstacles or bottlenecks hindering efficiency.

“There’s even talk among our people that our government bureaucracy often makes things harder, not easier. Some even say, ‘If it can be made difficult, why make it easy?’ I ask the ministers now to be more courageous, to not hesitate in giving the best service to our people,” Prabowo remarked.

He went on to say that ministers should report any difficulties they encounter, especially when dealing with officials who are not performing well or are disobedient. Prabowo emphasized that ministers should not hesitate to remove such officials, using the authority he has granted.

“If you are unsatisfied with the officials under you, report it, and we’ll replace them immediately. There are so many people willing to serve. No one here is untouchable. Anyone who is not compliant, who does not work hard for the nation and the people, you have my authority to remove them and send them home rather than let them cause trouble for us,” Prabowo asserted.

The 8th President of Indonesia also urged the ministers to work quickly in developing their programs. “I give you the time and opportunity to act quickly. I may call for coordination at any time,” Prabowo added.

He also reiterated the urgency of executing one of his flagship programs, Free Nutritious Meals (MBG). Cabinet members were urged to take swift action toward reaching the program’s targets.

“I’ve heard some figures doubting our ability to carry this out. I’m not saying this will be done in one or two weeks or even three months—none of us have King Solomon’s magic wand. But we can calculate, manage, allocate funds, and mobilize resources,” Prabowo explained.

“For me, providing nutritious meals for children and pregnant women is strategic. Anyone who does not support this should leave the government I lead. We must be united as one team, confident that this is part of Indonesia’s national resurgence,” he concluded. (RR)