Prabowo Pushes ‘New Indonesia’ Campaign Against Corruption as CPI Slides to 34
Key Takeaways
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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — President Prabowo Subianto has declared a “New Indonesia” campaign against corruption on Friday, Feb 13, 2026 in Jakarta as the country’s Corruption Perceptions Index fell to 34 and its global ranking slid to 109, a move aimed at restoring public trust and strengthening governance amid rising scrutiny. He delivered the message at the Indonesia Economic Outlook 2026 at Wisma Danantara.
“We must clean up. We must have The New Indonesia. The New Indonesia must not allow corruption,” Prabowo said. He acknowledged that corruption remained widespread and pledged to eliminate leakages, manipulation, and abuse at all levels.
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“Corruption is still too much. We must eradicate corruption from the land of Indonesia,” he said.
Prabowo said he had gathered several prominent business leaders, many of whom he described as friends, to urge them to comply with regulations. “You are already big, already rich, obey the rules,” he said.
He added that intelligence should not be used to exploit regulatory loopholes and called for an end to such practices. At the same time, he warned bureaucrats to maintain integrity, saying corruption often stemmed from administrative misconduct.
Referring to a quote attributed to Winston Churchill about fearing bureaucrats more than external enemies, Prabowo said he felt similarly. “I am more afraid of my own bureaucrats than I am afraid of ghosts or whatever,” he remarked.
Corruption worsened
The anti-corruption message came days after Transparency International reported that Indonesia’s Corruption Perceptions Index dropped three points from 37 to 34 in 2025. The decline pushed the country down 10 places to 109th out of 180 nations surveyed.
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The Corruption Eradication Commission described the slide as a call for introspection and acceleration of reform. “CPI is not merely a number, but a strong call for collective introspection and acceleration of anti-corruption efforts,” said commission spokesperson Budi Prasetyo on Thursday.
He said the index reflected public confidence in national commitment to fighting corruption and improving governance. The commission pledged to strengthen prevention, enforcement, and integrity monitoring through surveys and systemic reforms.
Prabowo also responded to criticism labeling him authoritarian, suggesting in jest that some might believe tougher leadership was needed to combat graft. “But we are a democracy. I am completely democratic,” he said.
He reaffirmed Indonesia’s democratic commitment while emphasizing that decisive action against corruption was essential. “The New Indonesia must not tolerate corruption,” he concluded.