After Prabowo's Speech, Tamsil Linrung Says Economy Still Has Hope
Deputy Speaker of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) Tamsil Linrung has responded to the state address delivered by President Prabowo Subianto. He assessed that despite a number of remaining challenges, current national economic indicators show a tangible direction of improvement and provide hope for the public.
Tamsil explained that the national economic growth data presented by the government aligns with findings from various independent and academic institutions.
“All the data shows growth. I have data from BPS, research institutes at universities, BRIN, and Hasanuddin University. The figures are almost the same as BPS,” Tamsil said in his statement on Friday (14/8/2026).
He made the remarks following the Joint Session of the DPR and DPD at the Nusantara Building, Parliament Complex, Jakarta, on Friday (14/8).
Responding to public questions about who is benefiting from the economic growth, Tamsil highlighted the decline in the Gini ratio from 0.38 to 0.36.
“This decline is evidence that the results of economic growth are beginning to be felt by the lower strata of society,” he explained.
In the agricultural sector, Tamsil continued, there has been a direct positive impact felt by farmers through policies ensuring supply and price certainty. One of these is fertiliser certainty, where farmers feel more secure because fertiliser availability is guaranteed during the planting season.
“We see price stability; during the harvest season, commodity prices are maintained in accordance with the Highest Retail Price (HET),” he added.
Regarding the recent wave of layoffs (PHK), Tamsil asserted that the situation is a consequence of policies from the previous period whose effects are only now being felt. He is optimistic that new policies under Prabowo’s leadership will open up jobs on a massive scale.
Tamsil also paid attention to improving job quality and labour protection. According to him, regulations now exist that guarantee domestic workers (PRT), including certainty of wage standards, which he assessed as a very positive step forward.
“Indeed, for now it only covers informal workers,” he said.
The senator from South Sulawesi also gave a thumbs-up to the policy of streamlining and improving the efficiency of state-owned enterprises (BUMN). This has proven successful in saving up to Rp51 trillion in the budget over the past year.
“This is something positive, especially with the policy reducing the number of BUMN, because every reduction has an implication, namely efficiency,” he said.
Furthermore, Tamsil supports the planned rationalisation of the national banking sector. Currently, the number of banks in Indonesia is considered excessive (an excess of around 100 banks), with an ideal number of around 25 banks.
“The remaining assets and investment potential from this rationalisation are considered appropriate to be allocated to the Danantara Investment Management Agency,” he explained.
In addition, Tamsil also highlighted the plan to reorganise the operating permits of foreign banks in the regions in order to implement a fair principle of reciprocity, as applies to national banks abroad.
“So there is still hope; it is not ‘pitch black’ as some observers have feared. We cannot yet pronounce it a failure because the economic indicators are good. Although it is not yet 100 per cent perfect and there are still weaknesses that the President himself has acknowledged. These improvement measures deserve appreciation,” Tamsil concluded.