PRIME NEWS POST
The INDONESIAN (Medan)– Activists grouped under Lintas 98 North Sumatra together with the 98 Resolution Network have voiced support for the key policies rolled out by the administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice‑President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
The stance was set out in a political statement titled “From Freedom of Expression to Shared Prosperity: Standing With the Prabowo‑Gibran Administration” issued in Medan on Friday, 26 June 2026.
The declaration comes amid a charged national political climate marked by criticism from civil‑society and student groups over several government measures. Even so, Lintas 98 Sumut holds that the current leadership is beginning to deliver on core aspirations of the 1998 Reform movement — notably in anti‑corruption efforts, improved natural‑resource governance, and fairer distribution of welfare gains.
Turman Simanjuntak, Spokesperson for the 98 Resolution Network, said the group seeks to avoid partisan polarisation and instead offer a reading based on developments they have observed.
“We are responding to the political dynamics we have seen lately. We do not take sides in partisan debates, but we wish to highlight that many goals set during the 1998 Reform era are now starting to be implemented under President Prabowo’s administration,” Turman stated.
While extending support, Turman emphasised that Reform‑era activists remain committed to holding government performance to account.
“We will oversee policy implementation to ensure it runs effectively. At the same time, we will continue to offer criticism and recommendations to improve governance standards,” he said.
Edison Marbun, Coordinator for the event, called on all stakeholders of the 1998 Reform movement to take stock of nearly three decades of progress.
Political democracy, he noted, has not yet been fully matched by economic democratisation; as a result, welfare remains unevenly spread even though political freedoms have expanded.
“Twenty‑eight years since Reform began, gaps persist. If political democracy does not advance alongside economic democratisation, what we have is only a façade of democracy. The risk is especially acute when natural resources remain concentrated in the hands of a few — then political democracy loses all real meaning for people’s livelihoods,” Edison argued.
In his view, Indonesia must strengthen the model of socio‑democracy: a system that guarantees political freedoms while ensuring equitable access to economic resources for all citizens.
Eight Points of Political Stance
In their formal statement, Lintas 98 Sumut and the 98 Resolution Network outlined eight positions:
1. Support government anti‑corruption measures, including the seizure and use of assets derived from corruption offences for the maximum benefit of the public.
2. Back anti‑corruption action specifically in natural‑resource management and efforts to curb leakages in state revenue.
3. Support the rationalisation of forest‑area management and transparent land redistribution to communities.
4. Safeguard the anti‑corruption drive and bureaucratic‑efficiency reforms against misuse or misappropriation.
5. Advocate restructuring of the state budget to strengthen pro‑people programmes — including the Free Nutritious Meals initiative — while pushing for ongoing evaluation and improved governance.
6. Affirm that education funding must continue rising in line with constitutional mandates and must not be reduced to fund the Free Nutritious Meals programme.
7. Call on all segments of society to deliver constructive criticism without obstructing national priority programmes.
8. Promote national unity in responding to global geopolitical challenges, while upholding transparency, accountability, and responsible governance standards.
Edison stressed that the support expressed is not a blank cheque. Instead, the Reform movement will maintain its oversight role to ensure all policies remain people‑centred and free from corruption or abuse of authority.
The statement bears signatures from 24 leading figures of Lintas 98 North Sumatra: Turman Simanjuntak, Ikhyar Harahap, Edison Marbun, Thomas Tarigan, Amru Siregar, Herianto, Nugroho Wicaksono, Victor A. Sinaga, Maruli Samosir, Jonni Silitonga, Charles Butar Butar, Ferdinan Tumanggor, Eky Raub, Indra, Hanafi, Indra Mada Ritonga, Yudhi Ramadhan, Batara Panjaitan, Mara Sakti Siregar, Suria Marlinta Sembiring, Maruli Wils Daryanto, Bendry Sagala, Usman Damanik, and Indra Novindra.
Through the declaration, Lintas 98 Sumut expressed hope that the Prabowo‑Gibran administration will accelerate equitable development, deepen anti‑corruption measures, reinforce national economic sovereignty — while keeping space open for constructive criticism as a core principle inherited from the 1998 Reform spirit.
Reported from various media sources //photo from Google documents // contribution by Prime News Post international online media // news.paper
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