Jakarta – Amid the emergence of pessimistic narratives about Indonesia’s future, the government and several economic experts have firmly emphasized that the national economy remains on a positive and sustainable track. The recent “Dark Indonesia” slogans are seen as groundless and not reflective of the realities on the ground.
Secretary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, Susiwijono Moegiarso, expressed strong optimism about Indonesia’s economic growth in 2025.
“We are targeting economic growth of 5.2 percent. This is not an empty hope but is based on positive trends and indicators,” said Susiwijono.
He emphasized that for the past eight quarters, Indonesia’s economic growth has consistently remained around 5 percent. According to him, these indicators demonstrate a strong and resilient economic foundation.
“Even under considerable global pressure, Indonesia has managed to keep inflation low, increase foreign exchange reserves, and maintain the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) in the expansion zone for 28 consecutive months,” he explained.
A similar view was expressed by the Governor of Bank Indonesia, Perry Warjiyo. He stated that Indonesia’s economic resilience is supported by the strength of its non-oil and gas export sector, particularly palm oil and motor vehicles.
“Despite a fluctuating global environment, Indonesia continues to grow. Our projection for 2025 is growth in the range of 4.7 to 5.5 percent,” said Perry.
Perry also stressed the importance of maintaining growth momentum through effective coordination of fiscal and monetary policies, including exchange rate stability and strengthening the real sector. According to him, Indonesia has all the necessary instruments to stay on a healthy growth path.
From the academic community, Paramadina University economist Wijayanto Samirin stated that the “Dark Indonesia” narrative does not reflect the country’s socio-economic conditions.
“If we look at the facts, the economy remains stable. National inflation is among the lowest in the world today. This indicates preserved purchasing power and credible economic management,” he said.
Wijayanto also pointed out that Indonesia’s economic growth, which consistently exceeds the global average, proves the nation’s strong economic fundamentals.
“Pessimistic narratives won’t change the fact that Indonesia is on the right track toward progress,” he added.
