The University of Indonesia Student Executive Body (BEM UI) has\ncalled on the government to stop deceiving the public regarding the\ncurrent state of Indonesia. This statement is a response to remarks made\nby President Prabowo Subianto, who suggested that the US dollar exchange\nrate has no effect on people living in rural areas.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo the President and the Finance Minister, stop deceiving the\npeople. Because the people are not as foolish as you, who turn a blind\neye to the actual conditions,\u201d said the Chairman of BEM UI, Yatalathof\nMa\u2019shum Imawan, in a written statement released on Sunday night, 17 May\n2026.<\/p>\n
Athof, as Yatalathof Ma\u2019shum Imawan is known, expressed astonishment\nthat President Prabowo Subianto could make such a statement regarding\nthe rising dollar against the rupiah having no impact on rural\nareas.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether it is because the President is foolish or his subordinates\nare foolish, the fact remains that when the dollar exchange rate\ncontinues to rise, rural people are highly vulnerable to the impact,\u201d\nAthof stated.<\/p>\n
According to Athof, a rising dollar leads to increased fertiliser\nprices, which results in losses for farmers. Similarly, a stronger\ndollar poses a risk of rising fuel prices, as fuel is still purchased\nthrough import mechanisms.<\/p>\n
\u201cFishermen suffer losses, and the cost of living for labourers and\ntheir families will increase because prices in local shops will also\nrise,\u201d Athost added.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, Athof questioned the optimistic statements made by\nFinance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa regarding the current economic\nsituation, describing such claims as hallucinatory.<\/p>\n
\u201cLastly, the Finance Minister joked, \u2018Do not panic because the\neconomic foundation is good.\u2019 If Indonesia\u2019s economic foundation is\nindeed good, why is the rupiah exchange rate the lowest in Southeast\nAsia, second only to the Philippines, which is currently facing fuel\nshortages?\u201d Athof asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe question is whether the economic foundation is truly good, or if\nyou are simply hallucinating and forgetting that we are actually the\nsecond lowest in Southeast Asia,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
Consequently, BEM UI has requested that the government cease using\nrhetoric to mislead the public. \u201cBecause the people are not as foolish\nas you, and the people do not turn a blind eye to the real conditions.\nWe are the ones who feel the impact most acutely, unlike you, who do not\nneed to worry about what you will eat tomorrow,\u201d concluded Athof.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bem-ui-urges-government-to-stop-deceiving-the-people-1780925187", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }