Independence Day celebrations in Indonesia under President Prabowo Subianto took on a unique and special tone this year. The State Palace invited about 60 small business vendors to participate, with all their products purchased by the Palace and served to guests, 80 percent of whom were members of the public. This initiative brought great joy to vendors like Wahyu, who sells traditional kue apem cakes, and an es doger vendor who entered the Palace for the first time. The vendors were stationed at three key points within the Palace, providing 30,000 portions of food and drinks free of charge to the public. Visitors were thrilled to have the opportunity to experience the State Palace up close, with one attendee sharing his excitement on Instagram. This year’s celebration symbolized a new level of openness at the Palace under President Prabowo, where officials, ordinary citizens, and small street vendors came together in unity.
