Doha – Prabowo Subianto, who was elected as the President for the term 2024-2029, is optimistic that the Indonesian economy can achieve a growth of up to 8% in the next two to three years.
This was revealed by Prabowo during the Qatar Economic Forum 2024 in Doha on Wednesday (15/5). During the event, Prabowo was asked about the projection of Indonesia’s economic growth that can be achieved in the five years of his leadership.
“I am very confident, I have spoken with experts and studied the numbers. I believe we can easily reach 8%. I am determined to exceed it,” said Prabowo, who was accompanied by Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
“Maybe (the hope) can be realized in the next two to three years,” he continued.
Furthermore, Prabowo also stated that downstream policy will be the key to achieving future economic growth. Prabowo said downstream will still take several years.
He also highlighted one aspect that will drive economic growth in the first year of his presidency, which is agriculture and food (production and distribution) as well as energy.
“We want to go green in a very fast way. We want to produce diesel from palm oil and this will be a very strong driver of economic growth,” Prabowo explained.
“So far, we have been importing 20 billion US dollars every year for diesel. So, imagine the savings we will get if we switch to biofuel,” he added.
Prabowo emphasized that the downstream policy to reduce imports does not mean making Indonesia a country that adopts a protectionist economic concept. He wants Indonesia to become an advanced industrial country and not just be a raw material exporter.
According to him, every country will fight for national interests, especially to protect its people.
“I think this is a misconception. We are not protectionist. What we are doing is very logical, every country in the world will fight for or protect its core national interests, its people,”
“We want to industrialize and that is our natural resources that must be protected for the sake of the people. We should get the full value for it. We cannot continue to import industrial goods all the time. That is not fair to our people,” Prabowo asserted.
