Prabowo Questions Economic Growth Data as Middle Class Declines

President Prabowo Subianto says that in recent years poverty in Indonesia has risen and the middle class declined. He attributes this to the Indonesian economic system being implemented not correctly.

‘Brothers and sisters, seven years at five percent, 35 percent of our economy grew, but our poor citizens increased, from 46.1 percent to 49.5 percent, a rise of more than 3 percentage points. The middle class declined, brothers and sisters,’ Prabowo said at a plenary session of the DPR in the parliament complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Wednesday (20 May 2026).

The poverty and middle-class figures have led Prabowo to ask questions of the Council members and experts. He expressed astonishment at the figures.

‘I ask before this honoured assembly, I ask all political parties, all organisations, I ask all experts and all professors. How can growth of 35 percent occur yet the middle class declines? Poverty has increased,’ Prabowo said.

Therefore, Prabowo assessed that the condition is due to the Indonesian economic system that is not right. He is convinced that the economic system currently in operation is not on the right track.

‘Brothers and sisters, the answer must be scientific, the answer must be mathematical, and in my view the answer is that the most likely, not merely possible, I am sure the economic system we are running is on a trajectory that is not right,’ he said.

Prabowo compared with other countries. In his view, the differences arise because of the economic system. If this economic system is continued, Prabowo believes Indonesia will become a country that is fearful.

‘Perhaps our differences with countries such as Mexico, India, the Philippines, and others are systemic differences. We must look at the facts, the facts that if we continue like this, if we continue the system as it is for several more years, I am sure that it will be unlikely for us to become a prosperous nation,’ he said.

‘Therefore it is not possible, without prosperity, for us to safeguard our sovereignty. It is most likely that we will become a weak nation, a nation that is always afraid, afraid of the dollar rate, afraid that fuel is not enough, afraid this, afraid that, a nation that is fearful, its elites are fearful, even though we have been given a great boon by the Almighty,’ he added.