Amidst the dynamics of the global economy marked by escalating geopolitical conflicts and uncertainty in global supply chains, the Indonesian economy continues to demonstrate solid resilience. This message of optimism, along with an invitation to the younger generation to become successful individuals with character, was delivered by Mochamad Edy Yusuf, Assistant Deputy for State-Owned Enterprise Development for Manufacturing, Agro, Pharmaceutical, and Health Industries, at a Policy Outreach Forum themed "Quality Economic Policy & Keys to Character-Based Success," at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), University of Lampung (Unila), Bandar Lampung, on Wednesday (May 13).
The event was officially opened by Nairobi, Dean of FEB Unila, accompanied by the Vice Deans and Head of the Department of Economics. In his remarks, Nairobi expressed his appreciation for the presence of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs as a direct bridge between policymakers and the academic community. He also emphasized the importance of such forums in building students' understanding of the direction of national economic policy and the importance of students learning the keys to becoming successful individuals.
Next, Deputy Assistant Edy presented material divided into two main themes: Quality Economic Policy and Tips for Achieving Character-Based Success. The forum was interactive, with intense discussion and engagement with 320 students from the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at Unila, including students from the Department of Development Economics, Accounting, and Marketing.
In the first session, Deputy Assistant Edy emphasized that amidst global turmoil, the Indonesian economy maintained strong growth of 5.61% (yoy) in the first quarter of 2026, higher than most G20 countries. This strength was supported by solid domestic demand, with household consumption growing by 5.52%, government consumption by 21.81%, and investment (PMTB) growing by 5.96%.
Furthermore, other macroeconomic indicators also demonstrated maintained stability. Inflation in April 2026 was recorded at 2.42% (yoy), controlled within the target range of 2.5% ± 1%. The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) also reached an optimistic 123.0, reflecting public confidence in the domestic economy. The March 2026 trade balance recorded a surplus for the 71st consecutive month, reaching USD 3.32 billion. Foreign exchange reserves in April 2026 were very strong at USD 146.2 billion, equivalent to 5.8 months of imports. Meanwhile, investment realization in the first quarter of 2026 grew 7.2% year-on-year, reaching IDR 498.8 trillion.
Furthermore, Deputy Assistant Edy explained that the Government is implementing a series of strategies and policies to maintain the momentum of national economic growth, including the downstreaming of strategic commodities, the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, the Red and White Village/Sub-district Cooperatives (KDKMP), the development of Special Economic Zones (KEK), linking and matching education with the business world, People's Business Credit (KUR) and various other credit programs, as well as strengthening international economic cooperation through various CEPA schemes and accession to strategic region membership.
"All of these policies are aimed at encouraging quality economic growth, both to achieve medium-term targets and to realize the vision of Golden Indonesia 2045," said Deputy Assistant Edy.
Entering the second session, Deputy Assistant Edy delivered material on "Tips for Achieving Character-Based Success," a message to Unila students that can lead to noble success. This message emphasized that true success is built on three main pillars: competence (smartness), health (foundation), and noble character (kindness).
First, competence is built on three basic principles: diligent reading/studying, constant focus, and sincerity in every activity. To strengthen memory and comprehension, Edy also introduced the concept of good memory, called the AIM Foundation of Memory: Attention (focusing and avoiding distractions), Interest (developing genuine interest in the material), and Meaning (making sense of every piece of information learned).
Second, health is the foundation for academic and professional performance. Deputy Assistant Edy summarized this in his Edy's Formula of Health, which consists of five main pillars, abbreviated as ESOSE: Eat well (healthy diet), Sleep well (quality rest), Oxygen (clean environment and good air), Stress management (stress management), and Exercise (regular exercise).
Third, noble character is the main differentiator for successful individuals. This character, he said, is reflected in kindness, caring, sharing, responsibility, and maintaining trust.
"Being smart or stupid is our choice. If we train ourselves by diligently reading/studying, staying focused and serious, then we choose to be smart; if we do the opposite, we choose stupidity and poverty. However, to be smart, we must be noble smart (kind). In the hands of a generation like this, the Golden Indonesia 2045 will be realized," said Deputy Assistant Edy.
The discussion and Q&A session was highly engaging, with 10 critical questions posed by students. These included the impact of geopolitical conflict on price stability and domestic supply chains, the effectiveness of downstreaming in job creation, government strategies for maintaining public purchasing power, and tips for building character amidst the digital age.
The Policy Outreach Forum at the University of Lampung was part of a series of activities to disseminate economic policies and tips for becoming superior and successful young people to various universities in Indonesia. Previously, similar forums have been held at several universities across Indonesia. (d1/dft/tam)
Source: https://www.ekon.go.id/publikasi/detail/6936/policy-outreach-forum-kemenko-perekonomian-tegaskan-ketahanan-ekonomi-nasional-dan-ajak-mahasiswa-jadi-generasi-sukses-yang-berkarakter