Is video on Prabowo’s goals in Indonesian cinemas propaganda or public service?

The minute-long video highlights several social milestones and the president’s aim to eliminate poverty

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A one-minute video featuring Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto promoting his flagship social programmes was shown in Indonesian cinemas for almost a week until Sunday. Photo: X/Muklis Nonton

Published: 11:00am, 18 Sep 2025Updated: 3:31pm, 18 Sep 2025

A short video featuring Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto promoting his flagship social programmes has sparked debate after it was aired in cinemas across the country, with some viewers comparing the screening to past propaganda campaigns and others defending it as suitable for public outreach.

The one-minute video, which began screening last week in several major cinemas, highlights key government initiatives such as free nutritious meals for students, tuition-free schools for low-income families and the launch of co-operatives to boost rural incomes.

As of August, national rice production under Prabowo’s leadership totalled 21.76 million tonnes, more than 80,000 co-operatives had been formed, 100 free schools were in operation, and the free-meal programme had reached some 20 million beneficiaries, according to the video.

“We want to eradicate poverty from the land of Indonesia. We must answer the people’s demands today, not later,” Prabowo said in the clip, which includes excerpts from his speeches.

The Ministry of Communication and Digital, which was behind the video, said that it was “part of the government’s efforts to improve communication with the public”.

“Public communication in the digital era is no longer limited to one channel,” Fifi Aleyda Yahya, director general of public communication at the ministry, said in a statement on Monday.

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