Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia faces a fundamental hurdle in its ambition to become a developed nation: the absence of a consistent national vision sustained across political cycles, Deputy Home Affairs Minister Bima Arya Sugiarto said on Wednesday.
“Moving toward developed-country status is not easy. If we look at Singapore, South Korea and several other East Asian economies, those that advanced rapidly did so because they maintained a clear and consistent national vision that was continued by successive leaders,” Sugiarto said in a statement.
He made the remarks while delivering a keynote address at the 28th Economic Competition (KOMPeK) talk show organised by the Student Executive Board of the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Indonesia.
Sugiarto said Indonesia is currently at a critical crossroads, with significant opportunities expected over the next two decades, but remains constrained by a central challenge: escaping the so-called middle-income trap.
He said President Prabowo Subianto, alongside ministers, economists and business leaders, is working to steer the country beyond that threshold and place Indonesia on a higher development trajectory.
The optimism, he added, is supported by long-term projections from international institutions such as the World Bank, The Economist and Goldman Sachs, which see Indonesia as having strong potential if structural reforms are sustained.
Sugiarto said the first prerequisite for Indonesia to reach developed-nation status is improving economic welfare, ensuring growth translates into broad-based prosperity for its population.
The second requirement, he said, is economic self-reliance, noting that no major nation can thrive while remaining heavily dependent on others for its core economic needs.
Third, Indonesia needs effective, credible and cohesive leadership at all levels of government to ensure policy continuity, implementation discipline and public trust, he said.
The final requirement is stronger collaboration and innovation across government, business, academia and society, which he said would be critical to boosting productivity and competitiveness.
“The journey is long and full of challenges, but with seriousness, consistency and collective effort, God willing, it is within reach,” Sugiarto said.
