Bogor. President Prabowo Subianto suggested on Thursday that he would support the idea of abolishing direct elections for governors, regents, and mayors, citing the significant financial burden they impose on the state and politicians.

The president’s remarks, made less than two months after taking office, are expected to spark debate, particularly among democracy advocates.

Speaking at the Golkar Party’s 60th-anniversary celebration in Bogor, West Java, Prabowo proposed that local leaders be appointed by provincial and municipal legislatures as a cost-saving measure.

“Under the current system, we spend tens of trillions of rupiah from the state budget and the pockets of politicians in just one or two days,” Prabowo said during his speech.

He argued that entrusting local councilors with the task of appointing leaders would substantially reduce costs, adding that similar systems are already practiced in neighboring countries.

“Our neighbors like Malaysia, Singapore, and India have an efficient system. They elect local councilors who then appoint governors and regents -- it’s cost-free and very efficient,” he said.

Prabowo suggested reallocating funds currently spent on local elections to address more pressing needs, such as feeding children, renovating schools, and building irrigation systems for farmers. He claimed that such measures would better serve public welfare.

Injecting humor into the event, which was attended by leaders of various political parties, Prabowo joked, “In fact, we have many party leaders here. How about making the decision right now?” His comment elicited laughter from the audience.

Prabowo, who is also the founder of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), criticized reliance on foreign consultants advocating for frequent elections.

“In my opinion, we don’t have to listen to them too seriously. It doesn’t mean that I’m xenophobic; it’s because I’m not certain if they sincerely care about us,” he said.