Prabowo Teases Destry and Hints at BI Governor Candidate

President Prabowo Subianto joked with Bank Indonesia (BI) Acting Governor Destry Damayanti while attending a mass contract signing for 62,000 subsidised housing loans (KPR) and the distribution of Rp880 billion in People’s Business Credit (KUR) for housing in Batang Regency, Central Java, on Thursday (30/7/2026). The jest arose when Prabowo greeted attending officials and corrected a statement by Minister of Housing and Settlement Areas (PKP) Maruarar Sirait, who had earlier referred to Destry as BI’s Senior Deputy Governor. ‘The Housing Minister was mistaken earlier. Mrs Destry is the acting governor. So, she is the official,’ Prabowo said. After clarifying Destry’s position, Prabowo made a quip that immediately drew laughter from the invited guests. ‘How does it seem? Okay, right?’ Prabowo said to laughter. He then added, ‘But later it’s up to the DPR.’ The statement was made amidst the process of finding a definitive BI Governor, following the resignation of Perry Warjiyo, effective 25 July 2026. In accordance with Article 50 paragraph (2) of the Bank Indonesia Law, the position of BI Governor is temporarily held by BI Senior Deputy Governor Destry Damayanti as Acting Governor of BI until a definitive governor is appointed. Besides Destry, several other names have begun to be mentioned as potential candidates to fill the Bank Indonesia Governor seat definitively. On this occasion, Prabowo also thanked BI for supporting the activities of state-owned banks, especially regarding credit. ‘All Himbara banks, together with Bank Indonesia and all our elements, must now be one. One team, one squad,’ he explained. ‘The key is cooperation. We are all now, all are children of Indonesia. We are all in one, in one big family, in one ship, a big ship called the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. With cooperation, with mutual trust, with mutual support, with complementing each other, with strengthening each other, we will achieve great things,’ Prabowo added.