The Road Ahead for Indonesia by Prabowo Subianto, President-Elect of Indonesia

Minister of Defense and President-Elect, Prabowo Subianto received a call from Lloyd James Austin III, US's Secretary of Defense (25/4/2024). (Photo: Indonesia Ministry of Defense)

Original Title: The Road Ahead for Indonesia—One of the Fastest Growing Economies in Asia | Opinion

Originally published on Newsweek Newsweek, June 12, 2024

I was humbled and honored by the decision of the people of Indonesia to elect me as their new president; it was one of the greatest moments of my life.

The factor that forged our landslide victory was that we have a tangible vision for the future of our country, representing the people of Indonesia, their trajectory, offering accomplishable solutions to the most pressing issues we are together facing.

The vision I speak of resonated with Indonesians—with everybody that truly believes in Indonesia and its future, just like I do.

After such a victory, there is a feeling of pride and enthusiasm. But there is little time to celebrate.

I feel the weight of the hopes and expectations of tens of millions of people; not just those who voted for me, but also those who supported our rival candidates. We have to govern and deliver for everyone.

While we may belong to different political affiliations and may differ on policy issues, I believe all Indonesians agree that we need to transform Indonesia into the developed economic powerhouse, and the respected international actor, it deserves to be.

Under the enlightened leadership of my friend and colleague, President Joko Widodo, Indonesia has undertaken a host of reforms that have set the country on the path of dramatic transformation. I intend to carry forth this mission, building upon the foundations laid behind me, but also deepening the transformation by charting a dynamic course forward.

The key priority of my presidency will ultimately be quality of life for the Indonesian people.

Our people, not our minerals, are Indonesia's No. 1 resource. This is why everything I will do must contribute to affording our people better lives, higher employment, more education, new opportunities to succeed and thrive.

I have several ambitious policies, especially when it comes to children; to provide free meals to pupils at schools across the country, for instance. I am optimistic that through such policies, we will increase school attendance and performance and will be showing our support and solidarity to children most in need.

I have also made a commitment to ensure Indonesia's food security and build a modern, sustainable agriculture sector in the process. While I understand the difficulties and the challenges our country has inherited in the agriculture arena, I think it is unacceptable that a country like Indonesia, ascending to the forefront of the G7, is not able to provide complete food security for its people. There is no objective justification why we should not be able to reform our agriculture and food production sectors and I will work hard from day one of my tenure in office so that we achieve this objective.

One of Indonesia's greatest assets is also its mineral wealth, which we will use to ensure the country's long-term economic development and modernization is actualized. Industrial down streaming policies will continue and will expand, ensuring more revenue, more investment, and more employment. The strengthening of Indonesia's industrial capabilities, especially in industries that depend on Indonesia's mineral resources, will continue, will intensify, and the sector will scale. I am committed to advancing Indonesia toward achieving its objective of becoming a fully-developed country by 2045.

Diversification is of crucial importance. This happens to our economy by supporting the sectors that hold the greatest promise—innovation and high-tech industries in which Indonesia already has huge potential, a deep pool of a talented and highly skilled workforce. I will work hard to provide additional training opportunities in these areas, pursuing STEM education accessible for all who desire it, but also to support them in advancing their ideas and out of the box solutions in the industries of the future.

To tourism—Indonesia is already a major travel destination, with a long tradition of hospitality and tourism. How could it be otherwise, if you consider the amazing geography and natural beauty of Indonesia, with its majestic islands and amazing diversity of ecosystems, of cultures, of ethnic groups and above all, a sense of warmth and generosity?

We have an important role to play in building a modern, developed economy, by pursuing the right policies and creating a proper business climate. But ultimately, the success of our economic development depends on our entrepreneurs and businesses, on how we support successful established businesses and how we also create the right conditions for new and promising start-ups to flourish.

We have conceived of a number of initiatives that will improve Indonesia's business climate; measures, such as the digitalization of our public services for instance, which will go a long way toward ease of doing business and fighting corruption, the bane of economic development.

I have big plans for the country I love, but I do not see Indonesia's development as a zero-sum-game competition with the rest of the world. We are open. We welcome economic partnerships and cooperation with other countries and fellow economic powers. What we ask for is for our partners to understand that for us, Indonesia's sovereignty and national interest will always come first. Indonesia ultimately cannot be aligned to any one power.

In keeping with this vision for our country's geopolitical position, we will continue our strong cooperation with China as an important power in our region, an important economic partner, and a people with whom we have a long, shared history. But at the same time, we will work to expand and deepen our close partnerships with the U.S. and the West. This is important for us, underwritten not just by shared interests and cooperation in a number of areas, but also by shared values, as we shape some of the biggest democracies in the world.

Lastly, there will be a special focus on Africa, a continent close to my heart and today, just like Indonesia, a land of opportunity. We can support each other, sharing our experiences and by building synergies and partnerships, work to transform our countries.

My country finds itself on the cusp of opening a new chapter in its future. I feel fortunate that through my work, I can contribute to Indonesia realizing its true potential as a country and as a people.

I can only hope that by working closely with all our friends and partners, I will be able to pave the way for a prosperous and harmonious Indonesia for generations to come.