Indonesia Will Rise Again

The recent riots sparked by a handful of intruders during peaceful mass demonstrations have left many Indonesians shaken. Yet, in response, President Prabowo Subianto did something deeply symbolic: he met directly with representatives of all components of society—religious leaders, civil society, youth groups, and business communities. This act of dialogue has reassured us that Indonesia’s strength lies not in denial of its challenges, but in confronting them openly, together.

A Nation Built on Resilience

Indonesia has never been a stranger to crisis. In fact, our national identity has been forged through adversity. We endured the 1997–1998 Asian Financial Crisis, when our economy contracted by more than 13%. Out of that collapse emerged stronger institutions, democratic reforms, and a more diversified economy.

We faced the unimaginable devastation of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which claimed more than 160,000 Indonesian lives. Yet Aceh—once torn by conflict—was rebuilt not only physically, but socially, as peace and recovery became the foundation for a more hopeful future.

More recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Indonesia navigated one of the worst global health and economic shocks in modern history. But by 2021, while many nations were still struggling to reopen, Indonesia had already rebounded with 3.7% GDP growth, followed by steady expansion above 5% in the years that followed.

Resilience is not an abstract quality. It is the lived experience of 280 million Indonesians who, through the spirit of gotong royong—mutual cooperation—rebuild, recover, and rise every time we are tested.

Engines of Growth for the Future

Indonesia enters this new chapter with solid foundations that position it as a global growth motor.

• Demographic Dividend: With more than 280 million people, over 60% under the age of 35, Indonesia commands one of the youngest and most dynamic labor forces in the world. This demographic strength is our engine for innovation and productivity.

• Economic Resilience: Despite global headwinds, Indonesia has maintained an average of 5% GDP growth over the past decade. Our economy is projected to be among the world’s top 10 by 2030.

• Digital Economy: In 2023, Indonesia’s digital economy reached USD 82 billion, the largest in Southeast Asia, and is forecasted to nearly double by 2030. Our entrepreneurs are not only building businesses; they are shaping the region’s technological future.

• Government Digital Transformation: Beyond private-sector innovation, Indonesia’s government apparatus is undergoing a sweeping digital transformation. Key reforms include:

  • The Online Single Submission (OSS) system, which has streamlined business licensing, cutting approval times from months to days.

  • The e-KTP (electronic ID card), which underpins a unified digital identity for all Indonesians, enabling access to banking, healthcare, and social services.

  • Expansion of Satu Data Indonesia (One Data) and digital public service platforms to improve policy-making, transparency, and accountability.

  • New programs under Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) that will integrate financial inclusion, e-health, and e-education services.

These reforms echo the digital leapfrogging seen in India, where the Aadhaar system enabled hundreds of millions to access financial services, and in Estonia, where e-government became a model of efficiency. Indonesia’s scale is larger, and its impact will be transformative: a bureaucracy once seen as cumbersome can become a driver of efficiency, inclusion, and citizen trust.

• Tourism and Culture: Tourism has rebounded with more than 11 million international visitors in 2023 and over 700 million domestic trips annually. But the government is moving beyond numbers toward quality tourism, emphasizing:

  • Development of five Super Priority Tourism Destinations (Lake Toba, Borobudur, Mandalika, Labuan Bajo, and Likupang), supported by massive infrastructure investment.

  • Promotion of health and wellness tourism, positioning Indonesia as a hub for traditional herbal medicine (jamu), spa and wellness resorts, and medical tourism.

  • Introduction of the Digital Nomad Visa, attracting long-stay visitors and entrepreneurs to work remotely from Indonesia’s most beautiful destinations.

  • Incentives for eco-tourism and cultural tourism, ensuring communities receive direct benefits from preservation efforts.

Here too, Indonesia is taking lessons from its neighbors. Thailand’s wellness tourism industry generates billions annually by leveraging culture, healthcare, and hospitality. Japan and South Korea have successfully drawn high-value visitors through cultural tourism. Indonesia, with its unmatched biodiversity and cultural diversity, has the capacity to match—and even surpass—these models. By diversifying beyond Bali and elevating standards, Indonesia ensures a fairer distribution of wealth across the archipelago, creating jobs in regions that have long been on the periphery of economic growth.

• Green Transition: Indonesia holds the world’s largest nickel reserves, vast potential in renewable energy, and a firm commitment to net-zero emissions by 2060. This positions us as a leader in the global green economy, from electric vehicles to sustainable industries. Much like Chile with lithium or Norway with hydropower, Indonesia is poised to be a central player in the global green value chain.

These are not just statistics. They are signals of a nation on the move, a people determined not only to recover but to lead.

Toward “Indonesia Incorporated”

The challenges we face today are real, but they are not insurmountable. What is needed is unity of purpose. I call this “Indonesia Incorporated”—a collective effort where government, business, and society work hand in hand to advance the nation. In this vision, no one sector carries the burden alone; instead, we move forward together as one Indonesia.

The riots of recent days will be remembered not as a turning point downward, but as a moment where Indonesians once again chose unity over division, resilience over despair, and cooperation over chaos.

Indonesia has overcome crises before, and each time, we have emerged stronger. This time will be no different. With resilience as our soul, digital transformation as our lever, and inclusive growth as our backbone, Indonesia will rise again.

A Call to Action

The world is entering a new era where the Global South is no longer a follower but a shaper of global trends. Indonesia, with its scale, resources, and unity, is poised to take its rightful place as one of its leaders. But this will only happen if we stand united—Indonesia Unite—and if we act collectively as Indonesia Incorporated, harnessing the strength of government, business, and society moving in harmony.

Let this be our moment. Let us not only rebuild, but also redefine Indonesia as the engine of the South, a nation that turns resilience into leadership and diversity into strength.

Indonesia will rise again. And when it does, it will rise not alone, but as a beacon for the Global South.