By Ayudia Alif
Economic equality has become one of the main agendas of the Prabowo-Gibran administration in driving inclusive national growth. With an ambitious target of 8% economic growth for 2025-2029, the government is striving to create policies that not only enhance growth figures but also ensure the economic benefits are felt by all layers of society. This commitment has received praise from various sectors, as it represents the continuity of a vision for more equitable and just development.
The Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) for Economic and Financial Affairs, Adies Kadir, expressed appreciation for President Prabowo Subianto’s consistent focus on the 8% growth target from his campaign to the present. He emphasized the importance of synergy between fiscal and monetary policies to align with national economic conditions. According to Adies, policies must remain flexible, balancing both economic growth and stability through an expansive-contractive approach. He also called on all parties to work hard in realizing high economic growth amid the challenges of the volatile global economy.
The Prabowo-Gibran administration is also benefiting from domestic factors supporting economic growth. President’s Special Economic Adviser, Bambang Brodjonegoro, estimates that Indonesia’s economic growth in 2025 will remain above 5%. This growth is driven by key moments such as religious holidays and year-end celebrations.
One of the concrete steps taken by the government to support economic growth is structural reform. Head of the Macroeconomics and Finance Center at the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF), M. Rizal Taufikurahman, mentioned three critical strategies for supporting economic growth. First, structural reforms to address issues that have been hindering growth. Second, prioritizing policies to revive the manufacturing, food, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKM) sectors as the main engines of the economy and largest job providers. Third, strengthening fiscal policy as the backbone of economic growth. Rizal emphasized that the budget efficiency directed by President Prabowo could be a radical step in improving the structure of the state budget (APBN), which has been overly burdened by large bureaucratic expenditures.
The manufacturing, food, and UMKM sectors are top priorities in the economic equality strategy. These sectors play a crucial role as the main engines of growth and the largest providers of employment in Indonesia. The government is committed to providing incentives for the manufacturing industry to improve competitiveness and expand production. In the food sector, efforts are being made to enhance national food security by strengthening agricultural infrastructure and providing easier access to capital for farmers and agribusiness actors.
Meanwhile, UMKM, as the backbone of the national economy, is receiving special attention in the economic equality policy. The government is working to create an ecosystem that supports UMKM growth through regulatory simplification, easier access to financing, and the use of digital technology to improve small businesses’ competitiveness. With policies favoring UMKM, it is expected that this sector will grow rapidly and significantly contribute to national economic growth.
Budget efficiency is another step taken by the Prabowo-Gibran administration to support inclusive economic growth. The state budget, which has been burdened by large bureaucratic expenditures, is now directed to focus more on productive sectors. The government aims for efficiency in managing the state budget so that funding allocation is optimized to support investments in infrastructure, education, and healthcare—key pillars of public welfare.
Additionally, the government is encouraging investment as a main driver of economic growth. Various pro-investment policies have been designed to attract more domestic and foreign investments into strategic sectors. Business licensing reforms, ease of doing business, and fiscal incentives for investors are part of the government’s strategy to boost investment inflows. With increased investment, new jobs can be created, and economic growth can be more evenly distributed.
The economic equality policy promoted by the Prabowo-Gibran administration is not just about numbers in economic reports, but also aims to create more evenly distributed welfare for all Indonesians. With a comprehensive approach, ranging from structural reform, strengthening strategic sectors, budget efficiency, and investment enhancement, the government seeks to create a solid and inclusive economic foundation.
The synergy between implemented policies and the active participation of all societal elements is a key factor in the success of this economic equality vision. With support from various sectors, including business, academia, and the wider community, the economic equality policy is expected to lead Indonesia to higher and more sustainable growth. The Prabowo-Gibran administration, with support from all elements of the nation, is confident that through hard work and good collaboration, the ambitious economic growth target can be achieved, bringing real benefits to all Indonesians.
The author is an economic policy observer.
