Prabowo Subianto, a former military general, has been inaugurated as Indonesia’s president with ambitious plans to increase economic growth and elevate the country’s international standing. The 73-year-old leader succeeded Joko Widodo after winning the presidential election earlier this year. He emphasized his commitment to serving all Indonesians in his speech following the inauguration ceremony in Jakarta.
Prabowo’s presidency marks a significant transformation for the former military commander, who faced controversy in the past. He aims to continue the policies initiated by his predecessor, including the implementation of free school lunches and a focus on economic growth. Prabowo has set a target of 8% annual growth, a significant increase from the 5% rate maintained by Indonesia for over a decade.
In addition to domestic priorities, Prabowo intends to play a more active role on the global stage. Unlike Widodo, who focused on attracting business investments, Prabowo’s foreign policy approach is more strategic and geopolitically oriented. He has already engaged with several international leaders and expressed willingness to contribute to peacekeeping efforts in conflict zones.
Prabowo’s economic agenda includes prioritizing social assistance programs and attracting investment to support growth targets. He plans to leverage Indonesia’s abundant natural resources, such as nickel reserves, to drive economic development. While maintaining investor-friendly policies, Prabowo also aims to diversify the economy by focusing on digital innovation and higher-quality manufacturing.
To fund his social programs, Prabowo is considering increasing the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio and implementing measures to boost tax revenue. While his team assures fiscal caution, concerns remain about the potential impact on Indonesia’s economy and credit rating. Despite these challenges, Prabowo’s presidency represents a new chapter for Indonesia as it navigates economic growth and international relations under his leadership. Pertumbuhan Strain Fiskal Potensial di Bawah Pemerintahan Prabowo
Dalam sebuah catatan riset terbaru, ekonom Indonesia Citi, Helmi Arman, menyatakan bahwa “Potensi tekanan fiskal bisa berkembang seiring waktu saat program-program baru [Prabowo] berkembang.” Dia juga menyampaikan kekhawatiran bahwa program-program kunci Prabowo tampaknya lebih berorientasi pada pasar domestik dan bukan pada ekspor.
Prabowo juga harus pandai mengelola sekutu politiknya, terutama mantan rivalnya, Widodo. Para analis mengatakan bahwa mantan presiden tersebut telah berusaha untuk mempertahankan pengaruhnya selama berbulan-bulan guna melindungi warisan politiknya.
“Prabowo tahu bahwa orang-orang masih mencintai Jokowi… Namun, Prabowo ingin mengendalikan kekuasaan di tangannya sendiri tanpa campur tangan dari Jokowi,” kata Arya Fernandes, seorang analis politik di Centre for Strategic and International Studies yang berbasis di Jakarta, menambahkan bahwa Widodo mungkin akan diberikan peran sebagai penasihat.
Beberapa menteri Widodo diharapkan akan mendapatkan posisi di pemerintahan Prabowo. Salah satu indikasi pengaruh presiden keluaran saat ini bisa dilihat dari seberapa besar peran yang akan dimainkan oleh putranya, Gibran, sebagai wakil presiden, yang biasanya bukan posisi yang menonjol.
Prabowo juga berencana untuk memperluas pemerintahan dengan meningkatkan jumlah kabinet dari 34 menjadi hingga 46, menambah kekhawatiran atas pengeluaran fiskal. Penasihatnya mengatakan bahwa pemerintahan yang lebih besar tersebut utamanya untuk memenuhi kebutuhan mitra di koalisi pemerintah.
Kompromi tidak dapat dihindari, kata Muslim dari Indikator Politik, terutama “antara stabilitas politik dan kesatuan internal, serta efektivitas pemerintahan dalam koalisi besar yang dimilikinya.”