Culture Minister visits Mohammad Hatta's residence in West Sumatra

Indonesian Culture Minister Fadli Zon visited the birthplace of Bung Hatta in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, to revive the thinking of Mohammad Hatta regarding the people-based economy, which remains a crucial foundation for national development. During the visit to the home of the Indonesian proclamator, who was born on 12 August 1902, Fadli Zon assessed that Bung Hatta was a figure of high integrity, discipline, and honesty, known as one of the nation’s great thinkers and a drafter of the 1945 Constitution, particularly Article 33. “Therefore, I consider Bung Hatta the Father of the People-Based Economy. Because the economy enshrined in our constitution is a people-based economy, which is currently being implemented and realised by President Prabowo through various policies such as cooperatives and Danantara,” Fadli Zon said via an official statement on Sunday. Consequently, various government measures to plug economic leakages, including avoiding under-invoicing and transfer pricing practices, are part of implementing that constitutional mandate. Fadli Zon stressed that Indonesia’s economic system is neither capitalist nor liberal, but a people-based economy that places the role of the state and cooperatives as the main pillars. “That is one of the fruits of Bung Hatta’s thinking, which was poured into our constitution. Therefore, our constitution is not only a political constitution but also an economic constitution,” the Culture Minister said. In addition to reviewing the historic house, the Culture Minister also encouraged more in-depth studies of Bung Hatta’s life based on valid sources. The visit was also attended by Bukittinggi Mayor Ramlan Nurmatias, cultural figure Taufiq Ismail, and several officials from the Ministry of Culture and local figures.