Rupiah Exchange Rate Plummets, Puan Warns Against Indonesia's Decline!
House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani has called on the government and Bank Indonesia (BI) to immediately prepare anticipatory steps against global economic volatility resulting from the rupiah exchange rate being pressured to reach Rp17,500 per US dollar on Tuesday, 12 May 2026.
“Of course, we will ask the government and relevant stakeholders to anticipate this,” Puan told reporters at the parliamentary complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Tuesday, 12 May 2026.
Her side hopes that Bank Indonesia (BI), together with the government, can mitigate foreign capital outflows and control the prices of essential goods. According to her, anticipation is needed not only for this year but also until 2027.
“And ensure protection for small communities so they do not become the most affected parties from the ongoing global volatility,” she said.
“This situation must not lead to Indonesia becoming mired in decline; it must be anticipated from the start, not just this year, but also until 2027,” she added.
On the other hand, the House of Representatives assesses that the current global situation faces significant pressures. This affects fiscal balance, development sustainability, and social protection.
Therefore, the government is urged to carry out fiscal consolidation and prioritisation, so that the people can still enjoy the benefits.
“The government needs to conduct fiscal consolidation and consolidation of national development priorities, so that the people continue to receive their rights to enjoy the results of development,” she stated.
It is known that the rupiah exchange rate is once again under pressure. In today’s trading, citing Bloomberg data on Tuesday, 12 May 2026 at 10:16 WIB, the rupiah weakened by 99 points or 0.57 percent. The rupiah weakened and broke through to the level of Rp17,513 per USD.
This weakening has triggered concerns because it has the potential to directly impact the prices of goods and the cost of living for the public.
The pressure on the rupiah this time is influenced by the escalating conflict in the Middle East, which is increasing global economic uncertainty.