Prabowo’s Message: Improve Teachers’ Salaries, Don’t Let Judges Be "Bought"

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - President Prabowo Subianto delivered a message urging improvements to teachers' and judges' salaries.

He emphasized that law enforcement judges should not be bribed so that corruption cases are handled properly.

"Teachers' salaries must be improved. Judges' salaries must be improved, because we want to eradicate corruption. We do not want our judges to be bribed. We do not want our judges to be bought," he said during the 28th anniversary event of PAN on Friday (18/9/2026).

Besides teachers and judges, Prabowo also urged that nurses and doctors be taken care of.

To realize this, Prabowo said he would soon hold a limited meeting to make public education free of charge.

"The cost of public education at elementary, junior high, senior high, and state university levels must be free," he asserted.

On this occasion, Prabowo also addressed skeptics who question where the funding would come from.

"There will be those who ask, ‘Where does the money come from?’ The money comes from what has been corrupted, stolen, and embezzled," he explained.

Prabowo expressed sorrow over forest fires but revealed that some fires were caused by certain humans.

"The National Police Chief reported to me that there are 95 corporations suspected of violating regulations and being responsible for those fires. I have instructed the Chief to continue investigating," he said.

Once sufficient evidence is gathered, the National Police Chief was asked to report immediately, and Prabowo will revoke all permits of the corporations involved in forest burning.

"I have no hesitation because I am loyal to the 1945 Constitution, Article 33," he added.