Gerindra Explains Context Behind Prabowo's Remark That 'Villagers Do Not Use Dollars'
Gerindra Party spokesperson and Deputy Chairman of Commission II of the House of Representatives, Bahtra Banong, believes that President Prabowo Subianto’s speech regarding villagers not using dollars has not been fully understood by the public. Bahtra explained that Prabowo’s statement was intended to ensure that the community does not panic regarding the rupiah’s weakness against the dollar.
“The President’s speech was clipped to just one sentence, then framed as if the President does not understand the impact of the dollar on the economy. That is clearly incorrect and unfair. If heard in full, the President is inviting the people not to panic because Indonesia’s economic fundamentals are strong,” Bahtra said in a statement on Monday (18/5/2026).
Bahtra explained that Prabowo fully understands global economic dynamics, including the impacts of trade wars, geopolitical uncertainty, and the pressure on the currencies of developing nations. However, he noted that Prabowo has a responsibility to maintain public psychology and build national optimism.
“The President does not want the people to be burdened by excessive fear. His message is simple: do not panic easily, and do not easily feel that Indonesia will collapse due to global pressures. We possess significant domestic economic strength,” he asserted.
Furthermore, Bahtra assessed that the statement ‘villagers do not use dollars’ was Prabowo’s way of using simple communication to illustrate that the economy at the grassroots level continues to move and endure because it is supported by the domestic real sector.
“This means our people’s economy has resilience because it relies on domestic production and consumption,” added Bahtra.
Bahtra emphasised that the current Prabowo administration is implementing a major agenda for national economic independence, including programmes such as industrial downstreaming, food self-sufficiency, energy security, the strengthening of the ‘Merah Putih’ village cooperatives, national industrialisation, and increasing domestic production capacity.
“The core of the President’s speech is that Indonesia is moving towards economic independence. We are strengthening downstreaming, increasing exports, reducing import dependency, and building national production strength. Many of the government’s priority programmes are based on domestic strength, not dependence on the dollar,” he continued.
According to Bahtra, the narrative of pessimism being constructed by certain parties regarding the national economic condition has the potential to weaken public confidence and market psychology.
“In a difficult global situation, this nation needs optimism and self-confidence. President Prabowo is building that spirit. Do not let every statement be clipped and used as material for political propaganda,” he added.
Bahtra urged the public to view Prabowo’s speech in its entirety, objectively, and substantively, rather than through misleading narrative fragments.
“President Prabowo is delivering a grand message that Indonesia must believe in its own strength, stand on its own feet, and continue moving towards national economic independence,” he concluded.
Prabowo previously spoke about the rupiah exchange rate against the US dollar (USD) continuing to weaken, breaching the Rp 17,500 mark. He noted that the rupiah exchange rate remains under control, given that Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa is still able to smile.
“Purbaya is very popular right now. As long as Purbaya can smile, just be calm, there is no need for you to worry. No matter how many thousands the dollar reaches, you in the villages do not use dollars,” said Prabraswo during the inauguration of ,1062 Merah Putih Village Cooperatives, as quoted from a YouTube broadcast by the Presidential Secretariat on Saturday (16/5).