Purbaya: We Have Plenty of Idle Funds to Help BI Strengthen the Rupiah's Value

Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa is prepared to assist Bank Indonesia (BI) in strengthening the rupiah’s exchange rate, which today has breached the level of Rp17,500 per US dollar. “We will try to help the exchange rate, assisting BI little by little if possible. We still have plenty of idle funds (Remaining Budget Surplus/SAL); we will intervene in the bond market so that yields do not rise too high,” Purbaya stated, quoted from Kontan on Tuesday (12/5/2026). The aim is to control flows and attract foreign funds to Indonesia. “So we control that so that foreigners do not exit, or (potentially) enter if yields improve, thus the rupiah will strengthen,” he explained. This approach is expected to provide an immediate impact on strengthening the rupiah, whose value has continued to decline. The government had previously anticipated this by conducting simulations of scenarios involving such significant rupiah weakening. When it occurs, there are already preparations, and the state budget is ensured to be safe. The Ministry of Finance is always ready if needed by BI. Purbaya is confident that the central bank can strengthen the rupiah’s exchange rate. “We leave it to the experts, the Central Bank. I think they will be able to control (the rupiah) well,” Purbaya remarked.