President links future fuel self-sufficiency to resource nationalism, food security and regional prestige.
President Prabowo Subianto says Indonesia will soon be self-sufficient in fuel and no longer need imports, framing energy and food independence as proof that the nation can “stand on its own two feet.”
Fuel Self Sufficiency Promise In Gorontalo
Speaking in Gorontalo on May 9, 2026, Prabowo declared that Indonesia would “soon achieve fuel self-sufficiency” and “no longer import fuel.” The remarks, reported by the Presidential Secretariat, came without detailed timelines or project specifics but signalled an ambition to overhaul the country’s long-standing dependence on imported refined products. Indonesia is currently a net oil importer despite being an oil producer, and shifting to full self-sufficiency would require major investments in upstream production, refining capacity and alternative fuels.
Resource Nationalism And Warning Against ‘Laziness’
Prabowo described Indonesia as a wealthy nation and argued that its natural resources must be “managed and controlled properly by the Indonesian nation itself.” He warned that if leaders are “lazy” or dishonest, national wealth would be taken by other countries. The president emphasised that the state should not allow foreigners to dominate sectors such as oil, gas and fisheries, positioning tighter resource control as both an economic and patriotic imperative for his administration.
Protecting Fisheries And Maritime Wealth
Extending his resource message to the seas, Prabowo said Indonesia does not want foreign vessels taking fish from its waters, insisting that “our people” should benefit instead. The comments align with earlier pushes to crack down on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing by foreign boats and to expand the domestic fishing industry. Strengthening enforcement in Indonesian waters and promoting local fleets are seen as part of a broader strategy to assert sovereignty and keep more value from marine resources within the country.
Food Self Sufficiency And Regional Respect Claims
Prabowo also claimed that Indonesia has achieved self-sufficiency in many staple foods, highlighting rice and corn, and that the country “no longer need[s] to import food from abroad.” He said Indonesia is now “highly respected” in Southeast Asia because of this, citing discussions at the recent ASEAN Summit in Cebu, the Philippines. The president framed food independence as a key reason for improved regional standing, though official trade data in recent years have still shown some food imports, suggesting that full self-sufficiency remains a contested claim.
Standing On Its Own Feet In Food And Energy
Linking energy and agriculture, Prabowo argued that Indonesia must “stand on its own two feet” by becoming self-reliant in both staple foods and energy. His remarks followed a visit to Miangas island after the ASEAN Summit, underscoring a political message of reaching distant frontiers while asserting national capability. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, these pledges point to a policy direction focused on import reduction, heavy state involvement in strategic sectors and a stronger resource-nationalist narrative, even as practical questions remain about costs, timelines and environmental impacts.
Prabowo Subianto’s promise that Indonesia will soon stop importing fuel and is already self-sufficient in key foods frames resource control as central to sovereignty and regional prestige. For Indonesians and Singaporeans, the agenda signals potential shifts in trade, investment and energy flows across the region, while raising critical questions about how Indonesia will finance and execute large-scale infrastructure and policy changes needed to turn ambitious self-sufficiency rhetoric into reality.
Sources: EN Tempo (2026) , Indo Posco (2026)
Keywords: Fuel Import Independence, Rice And Corn Self Sufficiency, Natural Resource Control, Foreign Vessels Ban, ASEAN Summit Cebu, Miangas Visit
