The Rector of Paramadina University, Prof. Didik J. Rachbini, has offered a critical assessment of the political safari conducted by Indonesia's 7th president, Joko Widodo. According to him, the series of visits to various regions amid fluctuations in the rupiah exchange rate and the capital market could have a negative impact on national economic stability.
Prof. Didik highlighted a shift in Jokowi's political promise, noting that he had previously stated he would return to Solo as a private citizen. However, reality on the ground shows the opposite, with Jokowi's influence deemed still highly potent and capable of creating elite friction that drains the energy of the administration under President Prabowo Subianto.
Furthermore, he emphasized that this political intensity, involving both the former president and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, risks shifting the government's primary focus from public welfare to power struggles. Market players and investors view this political uncertainty as a new risk signal that could disrupt the business climate in Indonesia.
Although macroeconomic indicators such as inflation and economic growth are currently relatively stable, Prof. Didik stressed that non-economic factors like political dynamics remain a serious threat. He characterized these political activities as disruptive elements that could hinder bureaucratic effectiveness and crucial economic policymaking.
In conclusion, Prof. Didik assessed that these political maneuvers bear no direct correlation to the interests of the broader public. Instead, he expressed concern that the government's fractured concentration due to political dynamics would be counterproductive to efforts to maintain national economic resilience in the future.
