Indonesia
President Prabowo Subianto, along with Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, gesture as he shouts 'Merdeka’ or 'Freedom’, during his annual state of the nation address before the members of the Parliament, ahead of the country's 81st Independence Day, on Aug. 14 in Jakarta. (Reuters/Stringer)
President Prabowo Subianto offered a triumphant assessment of his administration’s first two years on Friday, touting food self-sufficiency and flagship programs despite mounting public discontent and skepticism over whether their benefits have been widely felt.Nearly two years into his presidency, Prabowo delivered his second annual State of the Nation Address ahead of Independence Day on Aug. 17 before around 600 lawmakers and state officials at the Senayan legislative complex in Central Jakarta.
The address was attended by his predecessor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, former vice presidents Boediono, Jusuf Kalla and Ma’ruf Amin, as well as leaders of political parties.
Former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono skipped the event for health reasons, while Megawati Soekarnoputri, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the only party outside the government, was absent for the second consecutive year.
