“Sometimes at night, I watch podcasts. And yes, some of them can be irritating. I find myself thinking: ‘What is this?’ But I take note anyway,” Prabowo said at a National Police event on Wednesday, as quoted by Tempo news magazine.
One of the recurring claims about the former general is that he is authoritarian, a charge he has denied. “I watch those podcasts and ask myself: ‘Am I really authoritarian?’ I don’t think so,” he said with a smile, according to the Jakarta Globe newspaper.
Prabowo said the podcasts helped him reflect, noting that politicians who did not listen to criticism were easily led astray.
“I have a philosophy that in serving the nation, we must not be driven by anger or resentment,” he said, according to Kompas newspaper. “When I’m attacked, I tell the younger generation who aspire to become presidents: don’t be afraid of slander. Don’t ignore correction.”
Protesters mark Indonesian president’s first year in office
Protesters mark Indonesian president’s first year in office
He developed this positive attitude towards criticism and slander while in school. “I was slandered about two to three times. I was so down I complained to a teacher,” he said, according to news portal Detik.
