Prabowo Ignores Advice to Use Speech Text: I Like to Speak Candidly!

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - President of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto emphasized that he prefers delivering speeches without a script because it allows him to speak genuinely.

Prabowo disregards advice from communication experts who recommend reading from a script during speeches.

He made this statement while attending the 28th anniversary celebration of PAN at JCC, Senayan, Jakarta, on Friday evening (18/9/2026).

"My advisors and political and communication experts always tell me, 'Mr. Prabowo, don’t give speeches without a script. You must use a script.' But what can I say? I like to speak straightforwardly," Prabowo said.

Prabowo acknowledged that some believe a President should speak delicately.

However, he stressed his desire to keep communicating directly with the people.

"I know, I understand my people. I probably know them better than many others, because I have led soldiers. Soldiers are the children of the people. Right?" Prabowo asked.

Besides, Prabowo felt the audience preferred when he spoke without a script.

"I can tell by your faces here. I see it in your eyes—you like it when I speak off-script, right?" he said.

President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka attended the 28th PAN anniversary event at JCC Senayan.

According to Kompas.com’s observations at the venue, Prabowo and Gibran entered the event together.

Both wore batik clothing, though in different colors. Prabowo also greeted several political party leaders and officials present, including PAN Chair Zulkifli Hasan, MPR Chair Ahmad Muzani, PKB Chair Muhaimin Iskandar, PDI-P Deputy Secretary-General Utut Adianto, PKS President Almuzamil Yusuf, Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman, DPD Chair Sultan Najamuddin, and Minister of Education and Culture Abdul Mu'ti.