Purbaya Reveals Prabowo's Mindset: We Are in Survival Mode!
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has revealed that President Prabowo Subianto has provided detailed guidance on addressing the current global economic pressures, particularly those exacerbated by the worsening geopolitical conflicts.
As is known, the war in the Middle East between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other has caused energy commodity prices to soar and disrupted global trade activities, resulting in a slowdown in the global economic growth projection.
To anticipate the risks of these global economic pressures, the Head of State, according to Purbaya, has instructed the government to focus more on ensuring that subsidy distribution is on target to maintain the resilience of the state budget.
“In the midst of global uncertainty, we must be efficient. The President has directed that subsidies be targeted, consumption be more prudent, and work system transformation must be carried out. This is not just about saving, but about economic resilience,” Purbaya emphasised at the PT SMI 2026 Symposium in Jakarta on Wednesday (22/4/2026).
On that occasion, Purbaya also shared the thoughts currently occupying President Prabowo Subianto’s mind. According to him, the Head of State is now focused on thinking about ways for the country to survive or operate in survival mode amid the deteriorating global economic uncertainty.
“I want to explain a little, in the President’s mind, we are now in survival mode. So it’s not business as usual. All available resources will be used to ensure the economy can grow optimally,” Purbaya revealed.
This survival mode to maintain the 8% economic growth target is, according to Purbaya, what has prompted the government to aggressively create special task forces to secure state revenues, state expenditure, and ease of doing business.
“So if you look, there is the PKH Task Force (Forest Area Regulation Task Force) where encroachments, misappropriations, and other issues in forest areas are being addressed; that is a serious step by the President,” Purbaya explained.
“He doesn’t want any more of our natural resources to be exploited, but the returns for the state are not good. So, that will continue to be done going forward,” he stressed.
Therefore, Purbaya has conveyed this mindset of the head of state to his subordinates, so that they too adopt a similar perspective that the country is currently in survival mode.
“So, I emphasise here, we are in survival mode, everything must be carried out to the maximum. No more playing around left and right, priority programmes, the President’s directions are clear,” Purbaya stated.