SBY: Leaders Must Maintain Public Trust in the Face of Uncertainty

JAKARTA - The 6th President of the Republic of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) emphasized the importance of maintaining public confidence in the face of global uncertainties such as now.

SBY said the world is currently entering an era of uncertainty marked by various global challenges, ranging from increasing geopolitical rivalries, wars and conflicts in various regions, and changes in global supply chains.

"Strong leadership is about maintaining public trust and creating opportunities in the midst of various disruptions," SBY said at The 2026 Asia Grassroots Forum by Amartha in Jakarta, Thursday, June 4, reported by ANTARA.

Based on his experience leading Indonesia during the crisis and transition, including the impact of the 1997-1998 Asian crisis, the Aceh tsunami in 2004, to the global financial crisis in 2008, SBY explained a number of leadership principles needed in the midst of uncertainty.

According to him, leaders must remain calm when facing difficult situations because panic can weaken institutions.

"Fear spreads quickly in difficult times. Panic weakens institutions. A leader must remain calm, honest and have a clear direction," he said.

In addition, SBY said leaders also need to be able to combine pragmatism with principles. In an increasingly complex world, he said, countries must be adaptive and realistic, but still adhere to basic values.

SB also emphasized the importance of long-term vision in leadership. According to him, human resource development, institutional reform, climate resilience, and innovation cannot be realized in a short time.

In addition, SBY assessed that leadership must be inclusive so that the benefits of development can be widely felt by the community.

"Growth that is only enjoyed by a small group of people will eventually cause instability," he said.

Even though global challenges are increasingly complex, SBY admitted that he was still optimistic about the future of ASEAN and Indonesia.

According to him, this optimism is not because the challenges faced are relatively small, but because the ASEAN region has strong capital in the form of a young population, dynamic entrepreneurs, a continuously developing digital ecosystem, a resilient community, and a large human resources.

SBY said that the strength is not only in big cities or big corporations, but also in villages, local communities, small business actors, and millions of people who continue to work, strive, and build hope in the midst of uncertainty.

He believes that this capital will be an important foundation for ASEAN and Indonesia to face various global challenges in the future.