Independence Day celebration in Indonesia took on a unique and festive tone this year under President Prabowo Subianto. The State Palace invited 60 small business vendors to participate, with all their goods purchased by the Palace to serve guests, 80 percent of whom were members of the public. One of the vendors, Wahyu, selling traditional kue apem cakes, expressed his gratitude and happiness at being part of the event. Another vendor, offering es doger, shared his joy at entering the Palace for the first time, describing the experience as grand and festive. This year, the Palace invited micro, small, and medium enterprises to serve 30,000 portions of food and drinks free of charge to the public at various points around the Palace grounds. Visitors were thrilled at the opportunity to explore the State Palace up close, with one attendee expressing surprise at the openness and fun atmosphere of the event. The Palace’s new openness under President Prabowo was evident as officials, citizens, and street vendors mingled together during the celebration, marking a symbol of unity and togetherness.
