Jokowi Predicts Indonesia's per Capita Income Will Reach IDR 153 Million in 2033

President Jokowi's State Speech During the MPR Annual Session (Photo: Youtube Setpres screenshot)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) predicts that the per capita income of the Indonesian people will continue to rise thanks to downstream. In fact, he said that in the next 10 years or 2033 it will touch IDR 153 million.

This means that if per capita income reaches IDR 153 million, then the average income of Indonesian people per month will touch IDR 12.7 million per month.

"Based on estimated calculations in 10 years, our per capita income will reach IDR 153 million," he said at the Annual Session of the Indonesian MPR and the Joint Session of the House of Representatives (DPR RI)-Regional Representative Council (DPD RI), Jakarta, Wednesday, August 16.

In fact, said Jokowi, in the next 15 years, Indonesia's per capita income will reach IDR 217 million. Meanwhile, in 22 years, Indonesia's per capita income will reach IDR 331 million.

"As a comparison, in 2022 yesterday, we were at IDR 71 million. This means that in 10 years the jump can be more than 2 times, where we have started the foundations to achieve all of that, infrastructure development and connectivity which will ultimately increase our competitiveness," he said.

Do Not Be a Lazy Nation

However, Jokowi stressed that this ever-increasing per capita income could be realized if Indonesia was able to process its natural resources. This is because having natural resources alone is not enough to increase the added value of income.

“Just being rich in natural resources is not enough, so being an owner is not enough. Because that will make us a lazy nation that only sells the raw materials of its wealth. Without added value, without sustainability," he said.

"I want to emphasize that Indonesia should not be like that. Indonesia must become a country that is also able to process its resources, be able to provide added value, and bring prosperity to its people. And we can do this through downstream,” he continued.

Jokowi said, the downstream that the government is trying to do is downstream with a focus on technology transfer that utilizes new and renewable energy sources, and minimizes environmental impact.

Furthermore, Jokowi said downstream was not limited to mineral commodities. But also non-minerals such as palm oil, coconut seaweed, and other potential commodities that optimize local content and partner with MSME farmers and fishermen so that the benefits are felt directly for the common people.

"We are doing this effort and must continue. This is indeed bitter for raw material exporters. It's also bitter for short-term state revenues. But if the large ecosystem has been formed, if the processing plant is operational, I'm sure this will bear fruit in the end," he said.