TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto urged workers not to harbor resentment toward the wealthy, saying many entrepreneurs provide fair employment opportunities.
He delivered the remarks during a speech before thousands of workers at the International Workers’ Day or May Day commemoration at the National Monument (Monas) in Jakarta on Friday, May 1, 2026.
“Let’s not hate the rich,” he said from the podium.
The former defense minister said workers should take a mature approach in dealing with business owners, noting that not all entrepreneurs are greedy or exploitative.
“We still have many entrepreneurs who run their businesses ethically. We need them for the economy to grow,” he said.
However, Prabowo stressed that he would not tolerate government officials colluding with “greedy entrepreneurs,” referring to those who became wealthy through corruption or exploitation.
The Gerindra Party chair said he believed workers supported his presidency. “I have run for president five times and lost four times. But I feel that agricultural workers and fishermen have always been with me,” he said.
This year, labor unions and federations across Indonesia marked May Day on Friday, May 1, 2026. In Jakarta, commemorations were held at two locations: the Monas area in Central Jakarta and in front of the House of Representatives (DPR) complex.
The Confederation of All Indonesian Trade Unions together with the Labor Party held a gathering at Monas. However, the event took the form of a celebration rather than a protest, with President Prabowo Subianto in attendance.
Meanwhile, several labor organizations refused to join the Monas event with the government. They are part of the Labor Movement Alliance with the People (Gebrak).
The coalition includes the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Union Alliance (KASBI), the Federation of Indonesian Labor Struggle (FPBI), the Federation of Food and Beverage Workers’ Unions (FSBMM), and other civil society groups. They staged a separate demonstration in front of the DPR building in Jakarta during the May Day commemoration on Friday afternoon, May 1, 2026.
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