At its core, a trade war is a battle of strategy. For U.S. President Donald Trump, tariff policies are a way to restore the glory of American industries that have struggled to compete freely with numerous trading partners. That’s why April 2 was dubbed by Trump as a declaration of economic independence—or “Liberation Day.”
Every president is, by nature, the Strategist in Chief of their nation. A strategy is defined as “a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim.” In Indonesian, it refers to a carefully crafted plan to achieve a specific target.
In governance, strategy forms the foundation of a country’s progress and stability—especially amid today’s unpredictable global geopolitical landscape. The strength of any strategy depends heavily on experience and depth of thought. That’s why it’s essential for a president to be an avid reader.
“A leader is a reader.” Such is the case with President Prabowo Subianto. Indonesia’s president is a reader. Through books, he constantly sharpens and expands his strategic thinking. Unsurprisingly, the presidential library has become one of his main workspaces.
In an era defined by grand strategic rivalries, President Prabowo, a disciplined and thoughtful reader, has laid out a series of major strategies for Indonesia’s future.
Noudhy Valdryno, Deputy for Dissemination and Public Information at the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), emphasized the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen public communication and urged Indonesians to deepen their literacy so they can contribute meaningfully to the national strategy.
“It’s important for us to read, understand, and return to the core purpose behind the president’s major strategies. Public understanding helps ensure smoother execution. That’s why the president recently asked his ministers to enhance their public communication skills,” said Noudhy.
Let’s revisit the key tactical moves made by the Prabowo-Gibran administration in its first 150 days:
- Strengthening Democracy
President Prabowo and his ministers have ensured there is no return to the military’s dual function (known as Dwifungsi ABRI). The newly revised Military Law strictly limits the involvement of active-duty personnel to just 14 civilian institutions, all directly related to military expertise—unlike the 1988 law, which allowed the military to occupy roles in both the executive and legislative branches.
- Securing National Defense
President Prabowo has committed to equipping the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) with the best tools and resources while ensuring their presence is felt across all regions of the country.
- Achieving Food and Energy Sovereignty
The president has overhauled the subsidized fertilizer system to ensure fair distribution. He also set the purchase price of dry-harvested rice (gabah kering) at IDR 6,500/kg to protect farmers from losses. In addition, food estate development and the construction of new oil refineries are underway to boost national energy production.
- Creating Jobs
Through programs such as Free Nutritious Meals (MBG), Red and White Village Cooperatives (Koperasi Desa Merah Putih), housing renovations, and accelerated industrial downstreaming, millions of new jobs have been created. The government has also written off non-performing micro loans and launched a Gold Bank to support grassroots economic development. The MBG program alone is estimated to have created over 40,000 new jobs through 1,028 operational meal preparation centers (SPPG), not including thousands of partner positions (each SPPG employs at least 15 partner workers).
- Strengthening Human Capital
President Prabowo is rolling out strategic programs to build a healthy, intelligent, and productive generation. These include Free Nutritious Meals, Free Health Screenings, the establishment of Sekolah Rakyat (People’s Schools), elite schools, renovation of tens of thousands of schools, smart board installations in classrooms, and direct teacher benefit disbursements.
- Advancing Downstreaming and Industrialization
The establishment of BPI Danantara marks a major step in downstreaming 28 of Indonesia’s strategic commodities. The initiative aims to reduce dependence on foreign investment while ensuring sustainable growth of domestic industries.
- Empowering Villages
The MBG program and Red and White Village Cooperatives have significantly boosted local economic activity. Village-level cash flow is expected to jump from IDR 1 billion to IDR 8 billion annually—stimulating rural growth like never before.
- Combating Corruption
President Prabowo remains firmly committed to corruption eradication, in line with the seventh point of his Asta Cita (Eight Aspirations). The government supports law enforcement in pursuing corruption cases with potential state losses reaching trillions of rupiah.
Public understanding of these strategies is key to fostering stronger collaboration between the government and the people in achieving a shared vision: a prosperous, forward-moving Indonesia.
“President Prabowo, as the Strategist in Chief, continues to lead Indonesia into a brighter future—built on a solid foundation of domestic strategy and economic resilience. His tactical steps are precise and targeted,” Noudhy concluded.
