Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto invited mass media leaders and senior figures, including the News Director of the ANTARA News Agency, Irfan Junaidi, to a discussion at his residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, on Saturday (February 22).

Prabowo's media team, in a statement cited in Jakarta on Sunday, noted that the agenda began with a luncheon, followed by a discussion in the president's private library.

The head of state remarked that it had been nearly 20 months since he had last engaged in a similar discussion with press leaders on June 18, 2023.

"Finally, we have met again in a cordial atmosphere for six hours, during which we discussed and exchanged viewpoints regarding various issues and strategic policies. The media plays a pivotal role in disseminating comprehensive and valid information to the public," he stated.
Prabowo then expressed his hope that the gathering would lead to enhanced contributions from the media to the nation's development.

Meanwhile, ANTARA's Junaidi pointed out that the president and the press leaders touched upon a variety of the government's initiatives, including the Free Nutritious Meals program and the budget efficiency policy being implemented across state institutions.

"We were briefed on the reasons behind the government's maneuvers, such as the push for budget efficiency. We learned that a major plan is in place to optimize the state budget," he explained.

President Prabowo also highlighted the significance of the Free Nutritious Meals program in detail, he added.

"The information provided was truly 'nutritious' for us journalists, who work daily to spread information," he said.

Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi accompanied the head of state during the event, which concluded with a dinner and a photo session.

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Translator: Mentari D, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Primayanti
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