Research Institute InFast Bestari Launches, Immediately Dissects Prabowo-Gibran's Economic Direction
InFast Bestari, an independent research institute focusing on economic dynamics, politics, and public policy, was officially launched on Friday, 19 June 2026. The institute is projected to become a cross-sector collaboration platform, involving academics, technocrats, practitioners, public officials, and social activists. Its goal is to bridge academic research with policy implementation to create a more just, advanced, and civilised Indonesia.
Executive Director of InFast Bestari, Gede Sandra, affirmed that the institute adopts a neutral and independent stance for the benefit of the wider community. “We are not here to be a tool of power, nor an opposition that merely criticises. InFast Bestari aims to be a critical partner that presents evidence-based analysis to assist the public policy formulation process that truly sides with the interests of the people,” Gede Sandra stated at the launch event.
As an opening move, InFast Bestari immediately made a breakthrough by holding a focus group discussion (FGD) titled “The Shifting Orientation of the Indonesian Economy: State Capitalism Under the Prabowo-Gibran Administration”. This discussion thoroughly examined the phenomenon of the strengthening role of the state in the national economy, known globally as state capitalism.
Gede explained that this FGD is merely the first step among many strategic issues to be addressed, including macroeconomics, bureaucratic reform, natural resource governance, and the environment. “State capitalism is one of the major phenomena currently occurring in Indonesia, and we feel it is important to provide a clear, data-based discussion space about this policy direction. But that is only one of the research agendas we will tackle going forward. InFast Bestari is a public policy research institute open to all strategic issues that impact the welfare of the people,” he clarified.
Speaking about state capitalism, Gede assessed that this new economic direction actually holds extraordinary appeal for foreign investors and domestic market players. The market’s orientation, which always pursues profit, is considered very much in line with this system’s ambition to boost growth. “Regarding the market and its relationship with the new economic direction, the new economic direction sought through state capitalism, in principle, aims to achieve high economic growth,” said Gede Sandra.