Prabowo Shifts Development Paradigm Towards People-Centred Economy, Says Expert

The Chairman of the Expert Council of the Indonesian Indigenous Entrepreneurs Association (Asprindo), Prof. Didin Damanhuri, believes there has been a paradigm shift in development policies under the administration of President Prabowo. He explained that while development from the early reform era until the end of the Jokowi administration was characterised by a ‘big push’ approach, namely massive infrastructure development, the paradigm in the Prabowo era is beginning to shift towards people-centred development. ‘With this change in economic development, entrepreneurs should be able to seize the moment. Collaborate and build economic centres on a local scale. Build regional economic strength, so we can progress together,’ said Prof. Didin in a statement on Thursday, 30 July 2026. He also stressed that the public, especially business circles, should not be allergic to the word ‘pribumi’ (indigenous). Moreover, according to him, President Prabowo is currently promoting a people’s economy, one focus of which is helping small and local entrepreneurs to develop. ‘There is a history related to the word pribumi. Perhaps at that time, there was a difference of opinion between President Soeharto and Benny Moerdani, who was then the Commander of the Armed Forces, who did not particularly like the term. There was a kind of regulation to no longer allow the use of the term pribumi,’ said Prof. Didin. ‘The official prohibition of this term occurred in 1998, aimed at the administration of government services,’ he stated. He declared that today’s entrepreneurs must break the dogma of ‘pribumi’ as often echoed by the Dutch colonisers. According to him, indigenous entrepreneurs must strive to elevate their businesses to the same level as foreign or ‘aseng’ businesses. Moreover, Prof. Didin continued, President Prabowo Subianto’s policies encourage the strengthening of the people’s economy. ‘Like Asprindo, which carries the word pribumi, now has a network in almost all of Indonesia. It has been active for several years, with branches in almost all provinces. In fact, there was an event in South Sulawesi recently, inaugurating new administrators. I attended that as well,’ he said. Prof. Didin asserted that President Prabowo’s policies do not explicitly emphasise the word pribumi itself, but a people-centred development framework has emerged. The policy brings the substance of a people’s economy. ‘The people’s economy framework is translated into the Asta Cita. One of them is MBG. The model is improving nutrition for the lower classes. Then there are village cooperatives, with the ambition of 82,000 villages at once, but now the priority is 40,000 villages first,’ said Prof. Didin.