‘Dark Indonesia’ Provocation Does Not Represent the Voice of the People

By: Dhea Lila Amani

The narrative that often emerges regarding “Dark Indonesia” is considered not to represent the voice of the people because people’s purchasing power has remained maintained to this day. The public is also urged not to be easily provoked and fall for pessimistic narratives that only create public fear.

A number of parties have begun to provoke the public through the “Dark Indonesia” narrative. However, the provocation that depicts the economic helplessness of this country clearly does not reflect the existing reality. On the contrary, the existing data shows the opposite, namely solid optimism towards the stability of the Indonesian economy. The government has succeeded in controlling various major challenges and has demonstrated extraordinary ability to maintain economic stability.

President Prabowo Subianto, in his statement at a press conference at the State Palace, firmly expressed his optimism regarding the Indonesian economy. In conditions full of global geopolitical uncertainty, Indonesia has remained able to maintain its stability, which is reflected in relatively low inflation and economic growth that is still above the world average. This stability, according to him, cannot be separated from the right policies and the government’s commitment to controlling various sectors, although challenges and difficulties still have to be faced.

President Prabowo also said that Indonesia’s economic sectors are currently running well. In addition, the government is determined to strengthen the national economy in the future, with the belief that in the coming months, further strengthening will be seen. This optimism underlines that the narrative of “Dark Indonesia” is far from reality.

However, the government’s optimism is not without challenges. Paramadina University economist, Wijayanto Samirin, gave his views on one of the government’s latest policies, namely the price discount policy during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.

Wijayanto hopes that this kind of policy should not be limited to certain moments, such as Ramadan and Eid. He believes that food price stability needs to be maintained throughout the year to provide a more sustainable impact on people’s purchasing power.

He also suggested that the discount policy be calculated carefully, considering the financial impact on business actors who are expected to provide the discount. Therefore, this policy must be supported by concrete steps, including from students.

Wijayanto still believes that if these policies are implemented properly, Indonesia’s economic growth will be stimulated, especially in the first quarter of 2025. This is in line with the government’s efforts to maintain people’s purchasing power and support economic development amidst difficult situations.

Meanwhile, Member of Commission XIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Arisal Aziz, also appreciated the government’s steps in implementing budget efficiency policies. According to Arisal, the policy reflects the government’s commitment to listening to people’s aspirations, while also ensuring more efficient and targeted budget use.

Arisal assessed that with a more targeted budget allocation, various development programs would run more optimally and provide direct benefits to the community, especially sectors that really need attention.

Arisal added that the importance of synergy between the government and the Indonesian House of Representatives in overseeing this budget efficiency policy is very crucial. This is intended so that this policy does not have a negative impact on priority programs that directly touch the needs of the people, especially the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) sector.

Furthermore, Arisal also emphasized that budget efficiency must still pay attention to the welfare of the common people, which is actually a priority in various public policies.

Arisal’s statement is in line with President Prabowo Subianto’s Instruction which directs the state budget efficiency policy to achieve savings of IDR 306.69 trillion. This policy aims to reduce less productive spending and divert the budget to sectors that are more in need, such as the free nutritious meal program for school children and pregnant women. Budget reductions also target ceremonial spending and official travel, which are expected to reduce state budget waste.

All of these policies, both from the government and the legislature, show ongoing efforts to maintain economic stability, improve the sectoral ecosystem, and create greater opportunities for sectors that need it most. As a note, this budget efficiency policy is not only beneficial for increasing fiscal efficiency, but also strengthening public trust in government performance.