Deputy Chair of the National Economic Council Mari Elka Pangestu is pushing for further implementation of President Prabowo Subianto's Prabowonomics idea amid global economic and geopolitical uncertainties. She emphasized an Indonesia-first approach based on Prabowo's Davos speech. The discussion took place in Jakarta on January 31, 2026.
Deputy Chair of the National Economic Council, Mari Elka Pangestu, is urging further implementation of Prabowonomics to address uncertain global economic challenges. Prabowonomics is President Prabowo Subianto's strategy to build an advanced, self-reliant Indonesia focused on public welfare.
A discussion titled “Challenges of Prabowonomics After Davos: Market Turbulence and Foreign Interventions” was held by Total Politik in Menteng, Jakarta, on Saturday, January 31, 2026. During the event, Mari Elka referenced President Prabowo's Davos speech, which prioritized national interests.
“Looking at the president's speech in Davos, for me it's quite clear that it's Indonesia first, and I think we've always needed to establish our position in Indonesia in that global context, first we must protect national interests, so whatever our interactions with the global and international community, national interests must be prioritized,” said Mari Elka.
She also stressed the need to strengthen domestic industries, including tobacco commodities as a major foreign exchange contributor. Mari Elka warned the government against complicating this sector, recalling external pressures like those from the United States.
As former Trade Minister, she once clashed with the US over discrimination against Indonesian kretek cigarettes. “So back then as Trade Minister, I fought with America because they violated the most fundamental principle in the WTO, which is discrimination. At that time, America banned tobacco exports from Indonesia on the grounds that kretek creates a sweet or tasty flavor that makes young people addicted to cigarettes,” she said.
The ban applied only to kretek, not menthol, which she viewed as discriminatory. “They issued a regulation, but only kretek was banned, menthol wasn't, so we said what's the difference between menthol and kretek, both are leaves,” she added.
Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto conveyed President Prabowo's message to capital market investors, reaffirming the government's commitment to economic stability.
