Indonesia is considered to need to read economic pressures more clearly and balanced.

ILLUSTRATION PHOTO/DOK ANTARA FOTO/Asprilla Dwi Adha/tom/pri.

Member of the DPR from the Gerindra Faction, Azis Subekti, assessed that Indonesia needs to build a clearer way of looking at the national economic conditions. According to him, the current economic situation cannot be simplified into just good or bad.

Azis said that in recent times, public spaces have often been divided into two extreme views. Some parties consider the weakening of the rupiah and the correction of the stock market as a sign that Indonesia is heading towards a crisis.

On the other hand, some other parties see relatively good economic growth and macro indicators as a sign that there are no serious problems.

According to Azis, both views are equally incomplete.

"Indonesia is not doing well in the sense of being without challenges. But Indonesia is also not heading for destruction. What we are facing is a complex situation that requires a clear reading," said Azis.

He explained, Indonesia still has a strong economic foundation. Economic growth remains around 5 percent, inflation is relatively under control, the fiscal deficit is still in a safe corridor, foreign exchange reserves are strong, the trade balance is in surplus, and the investment grade status is maintained.

However, Azis also reminded that economic pressure remained real. The rupiah was under pressure, the JCI experienced a correction, some business sectors slowed down, middle-class consumption was more cautious, logistics costs were still high, and national productivity needed to be strengthened.

Azis assessed that the pressure was also influenced by major changes in the global economy.

Geopolitical tensions, slowing world trade, energy price uncertainty, high global interest rates, and international capital movements also affect many developing countries, including Indonesia.

He also emphasized the importance of reading the financial market more holistically. According to him, the outflow of foreign funds from some Indonesian stocks does not automatically mean that investors lose confidence.

At the same time, global investors are still buying Indonesian government bonds and fixed income instruments.

"If investors really see that Indonesia is heading for a big problem, they don't just sell stocks. They will also leave bonds. But what happens is not that simple," said Azis.

Azis assessed that the memory of the 1998 crisis still affects the way people read economic pressures. However, he reminded that Indonesia today has changed a lot compared to the time of the crisis.

According to him, the current economic structure, banking system, foreign exchange reserves, fiscal capacity, and the resilience of national institutions are much stronger.

Azis invited Indonesia to use economic pressure as an opportunity to improve productivity, strengthen education, improve institutional quality, improve governance, and accelerate economic transformation.

He assessed that Indonesia has a large capital to become a developed nation, ranging from natural resources, a large domestic market, demographic bonuses, to a strategic geopolitical position.

"The most important question is not whether the Indonesian economy is good or bad. The question is what Indonesia will do about the pressure it is facing," said Azis.

Azis emphasized that Indonesia's future is not only determined by the movement of the rupiah, IHSG, or short-term economic growth figures. The future of the nation, according to him, will be determined more by Indonesia's ability to read challenges and turn them into energy to jump higher.