Prabowo Instructs State Banks to Prioritise Public Welfare and SMEs Over Profit

President Prabowo Subianto has issued firm instructions to the Association of State-Owned Banks (Himbara) not to focus solely on profit. The Head of State stressed the importance of the state-owned banks’ role in strengthening the grassroots economy and ensuring the state’s presence is directly felt by the public. The directive was delivered during a strategic meeting with the leadership and commissioners of Bank Mandiri, BRI, BNI, BTN, and BSI at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday evening (18/6/2026). Minister of Investment and Downstreaming, who also serves as CEO of Danantara, Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, revealed that the President wants equal opportunities for all economic actors, from micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to corporations. “The President’s directive to all banks and boards of commissioners was that banks should not only pursue profit, but their presence must also be felt by the community in the form of equal opportunities for MSMEs, the commercial sector, and corporations,” Rosan said after the four-hour meeting. During the meeting, President Prabowo expressed optimism about Indonesia’s future economic prospects. The banking sector is expected to become a driving force by expanding financing access across various levels of society. The President also highlighted the significant market capitalisation value of the five state-owned banks, which has a substantial influence on national stability. Based on presented data, the total market capitalisation of Himbara reaches approximately Rp1,100 trillion. According to Rosan, this magnitude demonstrates how strategic Himbara’s position is in supporting Indonesia’s economic structure. The President requested that this financial strength be converted into tangible impacts for the people’s welfare. The meeting was attended by key figures including Bank Mandiri CEO Riduan, BNI CEO Putrama Wahju Setyawan, BRI CEO Hery Gunardi, BTN CEO Nixon L.P. Napitupulu, and BSI Chief Commissioner Muhadjir Effendy. Accompanying the President were Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Deputy Minister of Finance Suahasil Nazara, Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, and Danantara CIO Pandu Sjahrir.