Indonesia’s 80th Independence Day celebration had a special touch under President Prabowo Subianto this year, as around 60 small business vendors were invited to participate. These vendors had all their products purchased by the State Palace and served to guests, with 80 percent of them being members of the public. The event brought immense joy to the vendors, like Wahyu who sells traditional kue apem cakes, and an es doger vendor who set foot inside the State Palace for the first time. This year, the Palace invited 60 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to provide 30,000 portions of food and drinks free of charge to the public, stationed at different key points within the Palace complex.
For many visitors, the opportunity to get close to the State Palace was a remarkable experience. One attendee, @ijoeel on Instagram, expressed his excitement about the open and festive atmosphere. He commended the Presidential Security Forces (Paspampres) for ensuring both safety and comfort during the celebration. The event not only marked a people’s festival but also symbolized the Palace’s newfound openness under President Prabowo, creating a shared space where officials, citizens, and street vendors united in celebration.
