JAKARTA — The government under President Prabowo Subianto has shown a serious commitment to bridging economic inequality and realizing equal prosperity throughout Indonesia.
Various programs currently designed are focused on development from village to center, empowering village communities as the main subjects of more inclusive and sustainable development.
The government continues to strive to address economic inequality, which has long been a structural challenge in various regions, especially in villages.
The Expert Council of the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP), Prof. Dr. Ermaya Suradinata, appreciated the community-based development strategy or bottom-up development implemented by the eighth President of the Republic of Indonesia.
According to him, this approach is a strategic step in reducing the inequality between villages and cities which has so far been an obstacle to equality.
By prioritizing villages in national planning, programs such as the Village Fund are strengthened to ensure that rural communities have access to adequate resources, infrastructure and public services.
“Prabowo and Gibran prioritize the welfare of rural communities, not as objects of development, but as active subjects in more equitable national development,” he explained.
In addition, President Prabowo also emphasized the importance of continuing the development of the Indonesian National Capital City (IKN) in East Kalimantan as a symbol of equitable development.
In the Plenary Cabinet Session at the IKN last August, the Head of State expressed his optimism that the IKN will function well in the next 4-5 years.
“I am determined to continue and accelerate the development of the IKN as a form of economic equality, reducing the burden on Java Island,” he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of the Gerindra Party, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, also highlighted the issue of inequality which is a major concern for President Prabowo.
Despite economic growth of 5%, inequality remains high, with the middle class shrinking by 9%.
He emphasized the importance of equal distribution of wealth to support the national economy.
“The data we received shows that around 160 million Indonesians are classified as poor. The more we prosper them, the more the business world will benefit,” said Hashim,
Through a community-based development approach and a focus on village infrastructure, the Prabowo-Gibran government is seeking to create a more even balance between villages and cities.
In this way, every region in Indonesia is expected to have the same opportunity to develop, making Indonesia more prosperous and competitive.