The Master of Economics Study Program, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) Universitas Airlangga held a public lecture entitled "Economic Stabilization Policy: Strategy for Maintaining Indonesia's Economic Growth Momentum amidst World Economic Uncertainty." Dr. H. Soekarwo, main speaker at the event opened by Deputy Dean I FEB UNAIR Dr. Wisnu Wibowo discussed various global challenges that threaten Indonesia's economic stability, such as the US-China trade war, the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical conflicts and increasingly severe climate change. This lecture was attended by Master's program students from various fields, including Masters in Management, Accounting, Islamic Economics and Economics.
Dr. Soekarwo emphasized the importance of economic stabilization policies to maintain national resilience. In a global situation full of uncertainty, Indonesia needs to prioritize a balance between monetary and fiscal policy. According to him, appropriate monetary policy can control inflation and price stability, while fiscal policy must be able to stimulate the economy through job creation and increasing people's purchasing power.
In addition, he highlighted the important role of MSMEs which are the backbone of the national economy. Even though MSMEs contribute greatly to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and absorb the majority of the workforce, access to credit for this sector is still low. Dr. Soekarwo is pushing for policies that expand access to capital and marketing for MSMEs, so that this sector is able to survive and develop amidst global market competition.
Industrial downstreaming was also a main concern in his presentation. By stopping exports of raw materials and developing domestic processing industries, such as building smelters for nickel, Indonesia can create added value while increasing state income. This downstreaming is believed to be able to increase economic resilience and open up new job opportunities for the community.
In the era of the increasingly developing digital economy and gig economy, Dr. Soekarwo also reminded the importance of regulations that protect workers, especially in the informal economy sector. He emphasized that stable economic policy is not only about maintaining growth, but also ensuring equal prosperity for all levels of society. This public lecture provides comprehensive insight into the policy strategies needed so that the Indonesian economy remains resilient in facing global turmoil.
