Chatib Basri and Luhut Advise Prabowo on Economic Growth

Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, has spoken out regarding a meeting between former Finance Minister Chatib Basri and National Economic Council (DEN) Chairman Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan with President Prabowo Subianto at the State Palace on Tuesday afternoon (9/6/2026). According to Dasco, the meeting was unrelated to any signal of a cabinet reshuffle to replace the position of Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa.

The Gerindra Party politician asserted that he had directly sought confirmation from the presidential palace regarding the main agenda of the meeting.

“The meeting this afternoon between the President, Mr Luhut and Mr Chatib Basri, I have requested confirmation from the Palace that Mr Luhut attended in his capacity as Chairman of the National Economic Council (DEN) and Mr Chatib Basri as a member of DEN,” Dasco said at the DPR RI Building in Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday (9/6).

Dasco stated that the presence of Chatib Basri and Luhut was purely to provide strategic recommendations and input to President Prabowo on boosting national economic growth amidst global challenges.

“They provided input to the President regarding economic growth strategies so that the President can take the necessary steps,” Dasco explained.

When asked about the timing of the meeting, which coincided with intensifying public speculation about a change of Finance Minister, Dasco urged the public not to be provoked by circulating rumours.

“In my view, the meeting was purely to provide input on how to increase economic growth. I have confirmed there was no other discussion,” he stressed.

He acknowledged that over the past one to two days, political dynamics had been coloured by various rumours concerning the finance minister’s position. However, he assured that the information circulating was entirely invalid and its truth could not be accounted for.

“Indeed, in the last one or two days there have been issues whose sources of truth cannot be verified (regarding the replacement of the Finance Minister), but I have just confirmed that the meeting was purely to receive input from the National Economic Council,” Dasco concluded.