Aria Bima: Apply Bung Karno's Economic Ideas, Indonesia's Economic Growth Can Reach 8% If Ganjar Becomes President

In terms of economy, Indonesia once had the holistic national concept created by Bung Karno, which is now translated into President Jokowi's Nawacita (nine development goals for the next five years). The progress achieved by President Jokowi has brought along optimism within the people of Indonesia. Therefore, if the legacy of President Jokowi's era is succeeded by a leader with a bold vision and character, Indonesia’s economic growth of 8% is not merely a wishful thought.

These points were delivered by the Vice Chairman of Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Aria Bima, in the Bung Karno Series 3 Podcast, hosted by Aris Setiawan Yodi on the BKN PDI Perjuangan YouTube channel on Wednesday (28/6/2023).

"I am very confident that our economic growth will not just be 5%, I believe our economic growth can reach 8% or 9% annually. This is not just a dream but something that can be realistically calculated to make us a developed country. We will have a GDP ranking that makes the top 4 in the world. I am optimistic that this can be achieved under the leadership of Ganjar Pranowo," said the politician and Faculty of Social and Political Sciences Universitas Gajah Mada graduate.

Bima spoke about the government's condition prior to President Jokowi's leadership. Jakarta and the island Java were likened to a locomotive that pulls Indonesia's economic growth. President Jokowi's Nawacita conception or the Indonesia-centric Development has laid the foundation through the even distribution of infrastructure development in every region.

"Currently, in Eastern Indonesia, for example, regions with nickel minerals are experiencing an economic growth rate of 17% per year. This is crucial so there will be optimism for economic growth in each region," Bima revealed.

Bima explained that Indonesia should have reached a developed country status a long time ago. After undergoing political, economic, and ideological consolidation, the initial concept of infrastructural development was initiated by Bung Karno through the Decree of the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly No. II/MPRS/1960 about the Main Outlines of the First Stage of the Nationwide Planning National Development 1961-1969.

The initial phase of the process of nationalizing foreign companies, Bima added, was also the beginning of BUMN (state-owned enterprises) as a source of national revenue. Furthermore, Bung Karno also possessed an ideologically technocratic leadership style, where intelligent individuals enrolled in schools abroad beforehand, in plans of making them future national assets. According to Bung Karno, the nation needed a clear direction, not just based on common sense.

"If the planned holistic national development concept with the Pancasila ideology had been properly executed, China could have become a superpower nation. Indonesia could have become a superpower nation," the senior politician of the PDI Perjuangan Faction stated.

Bima was able to make these remarks after visiting the Chinese Parliament. Bung Karno's ideas were greatly admired there, and even in certain universities, the Marhaenism ideology of Bung Karno became a favored elective course. According to the Chinese Parliament, the process of transitioning from a communist state to a socialist state was also influenced by Bung Karno's Pancasila concept.

Bima is attempting to implement Bung Karno's ideas. One example is through the regulation of sugar; we cannot fully adopt international standards. According to him, if we were to implement those regulations, sugar factories in Indonesia would close down since they would not be capable of producing according to those standards. Therefore, Commission VI divided the regulations into 2 categories: industrial sugar, complying to international standards, and sugar for daily consumption. This policy was implemented to protect domestic interests while also remaining competitive in the international market.

"Take a look at President Jokowi's policy of downstreaming our mineral resources. We cannot remain a closed nation, but we also don't want to be ‘misled’. Because imperialism and colonialism have now entered into regulations," Bima added.

"I believe in and take hope in Mas Ganjar, I believe he can continue the foundation laid by President Jokowi. He will have the courage to establish policies and take on a role so that we do not just remain as objects in the global situation. We must also become subjects that determine the global economy," he concluded.