Cak Imin Targets Zero Percent Extreme Poverty by End of 2026
Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment, Muhaimin Iskandar, known as Cak Imin, wants the condition of extreme poverty to disappear from the country as soon as possible. He targets the percentage of extremely poor people in Indonesia to reach 0% by the end of this year.
According to Muhaimin, the Government has designated 88 regencies/cities as priorities for poverty alleviation so that the 0% target can be achieved. “This year, the target is a maximum of 0.38 or 0% extreme poverty by the end of the year,” said Muhaimin after meeting President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday, 12 May 2026.
In 2024, the Chairman of the National Awakening Party stated that the extreme poverty rate in Indonesia was 0.99%. That figure dropped to 0.78% in 2025.
Muhaimin is confident of achieving the 0% target for extremely poor residents by the end of this year. “We are optimistic and confident that extreme poverty in 2026 will be 0,” said the former Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives.
In addition, Muhaimin conveyed that the government also has a target to reduce poverty to 5% by 2029. Last year, he said, the figure was at 8.25%. He targets the percentage to drop to 7.36% in 2026.
One of the government’s poverty alleviation efforts is updating the single social-economic data. The aim is to ensure that aid and government programmes reach the right targets.
President Prabowo summoned Muhaimin to the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday, 12 May 2026. To Prabowo, Muhaimin reported the results of his work during his time in the cabinet.
Muhaimin conveyed several projects that he would discuss with the President. Among them are empowerment programmes, addressing poverty, to targets for job creation and increasing the productivity of micro, small, and medium enterprises or MSMEs.
He stated that his ministry continues to carry out various efforts to keep the people’s economy vibrant. Some of its programmes include establishing 1,001 people’s market points for MSME actors, training subsidies, and pushing for more affordable access to capital.
Muhaimin also wanted to report on the SMK Go Global programme. This policy, initiated by his ministry, is a programme to facilitate vocational high school graduates to work abroad.
Muhaimin hopes that SMK Go Global participants will be sent abroad, from America, Europe, the Middle East, Korea, to Japan. “SMK Go Global continues to increase daily in the number departing, with accompaniment, assistance, training, and targets especially for vocational school graduates in Decile 1. Decile 1, the poorest areas,” he said.