Prabowo defends TNI-Polri role in food security drive

President Prabowo Subianto defended the involvement of TNI and Polri in agriculture during a mass harvest at Lanud Abdulrachman Saleh, Malang regency, East Java, on Friday, July 17, 2026. He asked that the military and police presence in rice fields and in corn planting not be repeatedly questioned, saying the effort is aimed at helping the public and strengthening national food security. At the event, Prabowo said food policy is not solely the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture, but a national movement involving the full strength of the country. He also pointed to TNI contributions in building thousands of bridges and Polri’s role in providing thousands of clean-water points. Friday’s harvest was held simultaneously at 43 locations across Indonesia and included sugar cane, soybeans, and rice.