Prabowo Puzzled by 5% Economy Yet Declining Middle Class, Why?<\/p>\n
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - President Prabowo Subianto has highlighted\nthe phenomenon of a shrinking middle class and rising poverty over\nrecent years, noting that it occurs despite Indonesia\u2019s economy growing\nat an average rate of 5% over the past seven years.<\/p>\n
\u2018Fellow citizens, seven years times five percent, 35% of our economy\nhas grown, but our poor people have increased, from 46.1% to 49.5%, the\nrise by 3% is larger. The middle class is shrinking, fellow citizens,\u2019\nPrabowo said at a plenary session of the DPR in the Parliament complex\nin Senayan, Jakarta, on Wednesday (20 May 2026).<\/p>\n
Seeing the data, Prabowo admitted he was shocked and felt as if a\nblow to his chest.<\/p>\n
\u2018Perhaps this is painful for us; I received this data a few weeks\nafter becoming President, as if I were struck in the heart,\u2019 he\ndeclared.<\/p>\n
The poverty and middle-class data led Prabowo to question members of\nthe council and experts. He said he was puzzled by the figures.<\/p>\n
\u2018I ask before this esteemed chamber, I ask all political parties, all\nmass organisations, I ask all experts and all eminent professors: How\ncan growth reach 35% while the middle class declines? Poverty is\nrising,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
From the study by the council of experts, Prabowo is convinced that\nthe economic system currently in operation is not on the right\ntrack.<\/p>\n
\u2018Fellow citizens, the answer must be scientific, the answer must be\nmathematical, and in my view the answer is that most likely, not just\nlikely, I am convinced that the economic system we are running is on a\ntrajectory that is not right,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
He also compared with other countries. According to him, the\ndifference lies in the economic system, and he assessed that if this\neconomic system is continued, Indonesia will become a country hard to\nprosper.<\/p>\n
\u2018Perhaps the difference between us and countries such as Mexico,\nIndia, the Philippines, and others is a systemic difference. We must\nlook at the facts, the facts that if we continue like this, if we\ncontinue with the system as it is for a number of years, I am convinced\nthat we will not become a prosperous nation,\u2019 Prabowo said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/prabowo-puzzled-by-5-economy-yet-declining-middle-class-why-1779545608", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }