The celebration of Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day under President Prabowo Subianto took on a unique vibe this year, as 60 small business vendors were specially invited to participate. All their products were bought by the State Palace to serve to guests, with 80 percent of attendees being members of the general public. One of the vendors, Wahyu, who sells traditional kue apem cakes, expressed his gratitude, hoping for another invitation in the future. Another vendor, selling es doger, was thrilled to step inside the State Palace for the first time, describing the experience as grand and festive. This year, the Palace invited 60 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to provide 30,000 free portions of food and drinks to the public, stationed at different points within the Palace grounds.
For many visitors, this was a rare opportunity to get up close to the State Palace. One attendee, using the Instagram handle @ijoeel, shared his excitement at being able to take photos in the usually restricted central courtyard. He also praised the Presidential Security Forces (Paspampres) for ensuring both safety and hospitality during the event. This year’s celebration not only brought people together in a festive atmosphere but also symbolized a new level of openness at the Palace under President Prabowo, where officials, citizens, and street vendors mingled in a shared space of unity.
