"The more I study the state of our economy, the more confident I feel. I am optimistic, I believe, and I am sure we will achieve, and perhaps even exceed, 8 percent growth," he said at the National Conference of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) on Thursday evening.
He noted that the government's goal to reach this target within its five-year term, which ends in 2029, has been met with doubt and skepticism from some quarters.
"Perhaps many are cynical. This is one of the weaknesses of the Indonesian elite: they are not confident, they like to see their friends in trouble, and they have difficulty seeing their friends succeed. This is part of our nature. Maybe we have been colonized for too long, so we feel inferior," he observed.
However, he said he remains optimistic that his government will achieve the target with the support of the ministers in the Red and White Cabinet.
"After I took office, assisted by my ministers, I am positive that we will make big surprises in the weeks and months to come," he affirmed.
To achieve the target, the economy must be managed efficiently, based on logical and accurate calculations, President Prabowo emphasized.
Therefore, waste and inefficient practices must be stopped, he said.
"There is no way an organization can survive if its expenditure exceeds its income. Therefore, I am determined to lead an efficient government," he added.
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Translator: Mentari Dwi G., Genta Tenri M., Yashinta Difa
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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