SBY optimistic about national development direction under Prabowo
Indonesia’s 6th President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has expressed his optimism about the direction of national development presented by President Prabowo Subianto in the 2026 State Address.
SBY conveyed his views through a video recorded in Rochester, United States, and uploaded via the official Instagram account @aniyudhoyono, monitored from Jakarta on Sunday.
“I assess that speaking about 2027, and at the same time marking the entry into force of the 2027 State Budget, I see that the direction of the blueprint and development agenda to be implemented by the government next year is, in my view, increasingly better, increasingly clear, and offers new hope for all of us,” said SBY.
SBY said he followed President Prabowo’s State Address at the Annual Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly and the Joint Session of the House of Representatives and the Regional Representatives Council held at the Parliamentary Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Friday (14/8).
He also received information from a number of colleagues in Indonesia regarding the substance of the speech, which he considered to bring new hope for the public.
According to SBY, the development ideas presented by the government have moved towards appropriate policies in facing various challenges, both from within and outside the country.
“I know that the challenges faced by our nation remain quite strong, both domestic and internal factors. But what the government has initiated and planned is, in my view, appropriate,” he said.
“In my view, this is a very important agenda,” he added.
SBY also highlighted the national economic growth target of 6 percent set by the Prabowo-Gibran administration. According to him, the target is ambitious but still achievable.
The retired TNI officer cited his experience leading Indonesia for 10 years with average economic growth of around 6 percent as one of the bases for his optimism.
“Although ambitious, it does not mean it cannot be achieved. Because my experience leading previously with a 10-year average of 6 percent. Indeed, thank God, poverty fell sharply, unemployment likewise, and state debt also declined drastically,” he said.
He added that economic growth also had an impact on increasing gross domestic product and per capita income.
“Six percent, if it can be achieved by the Indonesian government, will have a good impact on our people,” said SBY.
“With this good hope, I can only advise friends who carry out duties in government to remain consistent and properly safeguard our fiscal health, and then ensure good implementation without any irregularities here and there,” he advised.
SBY reminded that the great hopes for national development remain accompanied by challenges that are not light. Therefore, the government is asked to work as well as possible so that the agenda that has been presented to the public can be realised.
“Great hope, but the challenges are also not light. The important thing is that our leaders and government do their best so that what was conveyed before the people through the Senayan podium yesterday can be realised well,” said SBY.
SBY is currently undergoing routine health checks at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, United States, as a follow-up after undergoing prostate surgery in 2021.
This condition meant SBY was unable to attend the Annual Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly and the series of events marking the 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia on 17 August.