Sweet Freedom: Small Vendors Thrive at State Palace

Indonesia commemorated its 80th Independence Day under President Prabowo Subianto with a unique celebration this year. The State Palace specially invited about 60 small business vendors, whose goods were purchased by the Palace and served to guests, 80 percent of whom were members of the public. Street vendors like Wahyu, who sells traditional kue apem cakes, expressed their gratitude for the opportunity. Another vendor selling es doger was ecstatic to step inside the State Palace for the first time, describing the experience as grand and festive. This year, the Palace invited 60 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to provide 30,000 portions of food and drinks for free to the public at three designated areas. Visitors were thrilled to have the chance to get up close to the Palace and share their experiences. One attendee, @ijoeel on Instagram, marveled at the openness and fun of the Palace, which is usually off-limits for casual entry or photos. He commended the Presidential Security Forces (Paspampres) for ensuring a secure yet comfortable environment for the celebration. This year’s Independence Day celebration symbolized the Palace’s new openness under President Prabowo, bringing officials, ordinary citizens, and small street vendors together in a spirit of unity.

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