JAKARTA - Public Economic and Policy Expert Dr. Anzori Tawakal said that those who expressed pessimism about Indonesia's economic growth in 2025 were only due to the short-term trend even though this year's economy could grow above 5 percent.
"I am optimistic that our economy will grow above 5 percent in the third and fourth quarters of 2025. Those who build this pessimistic narrative only see the short term, if the short term trend can be accepted as criticism to move the economy faster," said Anzori Tawakal as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, May 21.
But, he continued, seeing that economic growth must be comprehensively cumulatively annual, various sectors of growth and growth prospects must be comprehensively analyzed. The annual economy cannot be seen just because growth in the first quarter has slowed slightly compared to previous years.
"Those who feel pessimistic about the slowdown of 0.9 points of our economic growth in the first quarter of 2025, I think our friends' analysis does not see a trend of economic growth, it is not only seen by the juice in the quarter, but we must see it in its entirety," he said.
Growth has slowed slightly, he said, the reason is because the government's breakfast spending in the first quarter has not been optimal, both physical spending, and includes President Prabowo's priority programs.
"The flow of budget absorption in the first quarter is because ministries and institutions are also preparing programs that will be realized, preparing. We will see in the next quarter the government program is already running, infrastructure development, presidential programs," he said.
Anzori said, when the program of the ministry of institutions, physical development, and absorption of effective MSMEs began to run in the second quarter of 2025, only the engine of Indonesia's economic growth moved.
"When the state budget begins to be absorbed, government spending which on average supports 9-10 percent of growth starts to be optimal, it will also encourage the consumption side of the community, which has a large portion of more than 50 percent to encourage the economy," he said.
Until May 2025, according to him, people's purchasing power is still quite stable, which proves that the consumption sector is still on track in 2025.
"If we see that people's purchasing power is stable, the proof is that we are still at 2 to 3 percent, showing people's purchasing power is stable, there is no reason to say people's purchasing power is low, there are indeed layoffs but it does not have a significant effect on people's purchasing power," he said.
President Prabowo Subianto's program as well as the Red and White Village Cooperative has started. According to him, there are around 80,000 who will get funds of around Rp. 3-5 billion per cooperative managed at the village level.
"It will get assistance of around Rp. 400 trillion, this is extraordinary, meaning that if absorbed it will have a shock effect on our economic growth, the wheels of the village economy will grow rapidly," he said again.
Not only that, the food sector, self-sufficiency will also encourage the Indonesian economy to be higher. The food security program will maintain the stability of commodity prices, which of course increase the purchasing power of farmers.
"The government is preparing food security, proof of food security, production of our rice and corn above the production of the entire previous government era, we are above the national average, and we have not even imported rice and corn. This is a positive thing, meaning that in terms of income, the exchange rate of farmers will increase, and with that the purchasing power of farmers will also increase, that's a very positive thing," he said.
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Not to mention, he continued, the free nutritious food program will support the adequacy of children's nutritional needs, which means it will also ease the burden that families have to spend on food needs.
Then, the MBG program will of course also stimulate various regional agricultural sources, markets and MSMEs.
"There is a multiplier effect from the MBG program and the Red and White Village Cooperatives, I think these two sectors, if they are optimal, can contribute 1-2 percent economic growth. Indonesia's economy is not impossible to grow at 6 percent or more," he said.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
