Jakarta, Feb. 4 -- Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto emphasized that the Indonesian government should be the vanguard in preserving and maintaining the national culture.

Speaking at the final round of the presidential debate here on Sunday, Prabowo promised he would not hesitate to take action and intervene in favor of cultural preservation.

"I am not adhering to neo-liberalism. The government is not merely the regulator; the government is the pioneer and, if needed, intervenes to work and help the people. The government should also be on the front lines of maintaining and preserving all our cultural aspects," he expounded.

Prabowo's statement was conveyed in response to the debate question concerning the commercialization of cul...