Observer: Rapid Policy Response a Sign of Mature Governance

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Political observer Fernando Emas believes that flexibility and speed in policy response are indicators of a mature government facing changing economic and social conditions. “Policies formulated under certain conditions and projections must be able to adapt when reality changes,” Fernando said in a statement in Jakarta on Saturday. According to him, the public is currently facing economic pressure due to rising prices of several staple goods that are not matched by increases in the real income of the lower-middle class. Fernando noted that the prices of rice, cooking oil, and animal protein sources continue to experience upward pressure, gradually eroding people’s purchasing power. This situation, he said, is causing concern among the workforce and requires swift and targeted policy measures. Fernando believes the government needs to be bold in making policy breakthroughs, including evaluating the performance of ministers deemed unable to deliver solutions to the public’s economic problems. He argued that replacing ministers could be part of efforts to strengthen government effectiveness if needed to improve the performance of relevant sectors. “Comprehensive economic policy adjustments are also urgently needed,” he stated. He said these conditions could put pressure on the rupiah exchange rate, the trade balance, and foreign investment flows into Indonesia. Therefore, according to him, the complexity of the problems should not be an excuse to delay decision-making. “In complex situations, the government’s ability to prioritise, make decisions quickly with adequate data, and execute policies effectively is what is most tested and most needed,” Fernando said.