REPUBLIK OLIGARKI | Laporan Ketimpangan Ekonomi Indonesia 2026 — Transcript

Full transcript

1. 0:02I'm not sure where to begin.
2. 0:05Assalamu'alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
3. 0:08I think today...
4. 0:09...we are witnessing more and more...
5. 0:12...paradoxes in life.
6. 0:15In one corner of the world,
7. 0:17...we see ultra-rich government officials...
8. 0:21...celebrating a birthday at a luxury hotel in Paris.
9. 0:26A hotel where a single night's stay can cost tens, even hundreds of millions of rupiah.
10. 0:32While in another part of the world,
11. 0:35we see children born into poverty...
12. 0:39...who don't even remember their birthdays.
13. 0:43Who have never had a birthday celebration.
14. 0:46Who have never even received a birthday cake.
15. 0:50Why?
16. 0:50Because their days are consumed by economic survival...
17. 0:54…instead of celebration.
18. 0:57Today, I'd like us all to realize one thing.
19. 1:02Inequality...
20. 1:04...may be measured in numbers,
21. 1:07but it's also something people can feel.
22. 1:12Today, we hear many government officials say...
23. 1:14...that our economy is doing well, that economic growth is high,
24. 1:17stable,
25. 1:18"Indonesia is okay."
26. 1:22But if that's really the case, then let's look around us.
27. 1:27If that's true, why is it so hard to find a job?
28. 1:30Why are basic necessities becoming more expensive?
29. 1:32Why is public transportation so poor?
30. 1:35Why does life keep getting harder?
31. 1:39There's one thing those in power never tell us.
32. 1:43The truth is, the economy is doing well...
33. 1:48...but only for them.
34. 1:51Because today...
35. 1:53...those at the very top of the pyramid,
36. 1:56those at the very top of the economic ladder,
37. 1:58are reaping the rewards.
38. 2:02The value of their properties has risen significantly,
39. 2:05and most of their stocks have gone up as well.
40. 2:09Their wealth has grown tremendously.
41. 2:14But what about the lives of most Indonesians?
42. 2:19You don't need research.
43. 2:21You don't need a complicated study,
44. 2:24to see it all around you.
45. 2:27Just ask...
46. 2:29your parents, relatives, your siblings,
47. 2:32what their electricity bill looks like today.
48. 2:35How much does transportation cost?
49. 2:37Education, healthcare, or rent today?
50. 2:42Many people are even putting off servicing their vehicles.
51. 2:46Some people even have to work 14 hours a day...
52. 2:50...just to earn a little more.
53. 2:53So here's the first question I'd like to ask,
54. 2:56all of you today.
55. 2:59Who is today's economy really serving?
56. 3:05Today, we're releasing our study on economic inequality.
57. 3:10This is our second study...
58. 3:12...following the first one we published in 2024.
59. 3:17If I may sum it up...
60. 3:20...in simple terms...
61. 3:22...the key finding of this report is...
62. 3:26...just how quickly...
63. 3:28...this country has become an oligarchic republic.
64. 3:34The oligarchy has succeeded in turning Indonesia...
65. 3:38...into two faces.
66. 3:41The first face...
67. 3:43...is the face of the ultra-rich.
68. 3:47There aren't many of them— only around 1,700 people.
69. 3:53Don't picture them as people who own two NMAX scooters or four Innovas.
70. 3:56No.
71. 3:58Their wealth is beyond anything you can even imagine.
72. 4:05They own countless properties, assets, stocks, and yachts.
73. 4:10They own private jets.
74. 4:11They can fly wherever they want.
75. 4:14They have everything they need to access the best healthcare.
76. 4:19They send their children to the finest schools.
77. 4:27We found that just 50 people...
78. 4:30...hold wealth equal to 55 million Indonesians combined.
79. 4:35Together, they generate around Rp13 billion every single day.
80. 4:41While today's workers see their wages increase by only Rp2,000 a day.
81. 4:49And that tiny group of people holds enormous power in Indonesia today.
82. 4:56When we look at where we are today...
83. 5:02...the scale of it is astonishing.
84. 5:04Inequality has reached a point where it's becoming almost impossible to control.
85. 5:09They have more money than they could ever spend.
86. 5:15When we were children, many of us believed the richest people...
87. 5:21...were the Saudi royals or the sultans of the Middle East.
88. 5:26But that's not the case.
89. 5:28Indonesia's ultra-rich...
90. 5:31...possess fortunes that even surpass...
91. 5:33...those of many Middle Eastern royals.
92. 5:38That's the reality we face today.
93. 5:41A handful of Indonesia's ultra-rich control...
94. 5:45...most of the nation's wealth.
95. 5:48Their combined wealth even exceeds...
96. 5:51...the size of the national budget.
97. 5:54Just think about that.
98. 5:56Their companies operate on a massive scale.
99. 5:59They form conglomerates.
100. 6:01They can even decide what gets produced.
101. 6:06More importantly,
102. 6:07they can decide how much we have to pay...
103. 6:11...for the products they sell.
104. 6:15Who sets the price of ride-hailing services?
105. 6:19Who sets the price of cooking oil?
106. 6:22Who sets the price of 3-kilogram LPG?
107. 6:25Who determines property prices today?
108. 6:29They hold enormous influence over today's economy.
109. 6:35And all of this is happening while...
110. 6:38...many Indonesians are struggling desperately...
111. 6:42...just to get by, just to put food on the table.
112. 6:49Now let's look at Indonesia's second face...
113. 6:53...where we see the exact opposite.
114. 6:58You don't have to look far...
115. 6:59...after this event, just step outside...
116. 7:04...and you'll easily find day laborers...
117. 7:08...who only get work when someone...
118. 7:11...hires them.
119. 7:14You'll easily find ride-hailing drivers...
120. 7:17...waiting for hours just to get a booking.
121. 7:22You'll easily find stressed Gen Z workers...
122. 7:26...struggling to find a job.
123. 7:29There are so many retirees without social protection.
124. 7:34There are so many people with disabilities who still lack access to decent public services.
125. 7:40And there are so many people like Sekar...
126. 7:45...commuting on Jakarta's commuter rail every day, packed shoulder to shoulder.
127. 7:50Even though they already pay a significant amount in taxes.
128. 7:58But there's something even more troubling.
129. 8:02The ultra-rich have also bought...
130. 8:05...our democracy and our government.
131. 8:11Each person here has one vote.
132. 8:14But the ultra-rich...
133. 8:16...hold influence equal to millions of Indonesians.
134. 8:19They have the money to buy political parties.
135. 8:22They can buy politicians...
136. 8:25...who will then advance their interests.
137. 8:29And that is not the democracy we want.
138. 8:35This is no longer "one person, one vote."
139. 8:37Their influence outweighs the voices of millions of Indonesians.
140. 8:41In a democracy, we believe in...
141. 8:45...government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
142. 8:49But in Indonesia today, we are witnessing something very different...
143. 8:55of the wealthy,
144. 8:56by the ultra-rich,
145. 8:58and for the ultra-rich.
146. 9:03So what's the solution?
147. 9:07We could probably come up with...
148. 9:09...hundreds of possible solutions.
149. 9:12But there is one solution we continue to advocate...
150. 9:17...and one that is supported by many leading economists.
151. 9:22What if we introduced...
152. 9:25...a wealth tax...
153. 9:26...for the ultra-rich?
154. 9:30Let me explain it in simpler terms.
155. 9:34A wealth tax isn't for everyone.
156. 9:37It applies only to people with assets worth Rp84 billion or more.
157. 9:43That's an enormous amount.
158. 9:45And how much is it? Just two percent.
159. 9:48Just two percent.
160. 9:51That two percent alone won't make them poor.
161. 9:56But of course, the ultra-rich will say, "No, no...
162. 10:00...a wealth tax? Impossible."
163. 10:02Think of it this way. You own a house,
164. 10:07and you already pay property tax.
165. 10:11So what's the difference between property tax and a wealth tax?
166. 10:14A wealth tax applies to every asset owned by that person.
167. 10:22Diamonds, luxury handbags, yachts, private jets, stocks, every asset...
168. 10:28...would be subject to a wealth tax.
169. 10:32But the ultra-rich are clever.
170. 10:35They'll say,
171. 10:37"Don't do that. We earned this."
172. 10:39Something like that.
173. 10:41"This is our money."
174. 10:43"How can the government suddenly tax us?"
175. 10:47The answer is simple.
176. 10:50Good.
177. 10:52It's good that the ultra-rich are wealthy.
178. 10:55It's good that their businesses succeed.
179. 10:57It's good that they have great ideas.
180. 10:58It's good that they work hard.
181. 11:00Although, in reality, much of that wealth also comes from inheritance.
182. 11:03But fine, let's call it an achievement.
183. 11:06But I have a message for the ultra-rich in this country.
184. 11:11Lower your head for just five seconds...
185. 11:15...and realize that great wealth is never built alone.
186. 11:21Their products; coal, palm oil, cigarettes, reach the market...
187. 11:27...by crossing bridges,
188. 11:29passing through ports...
189. 11:30...all of which are public infrastructure paid for by all of us.
190. 11:34Built with the taxes we pay.
191. 11:39They own companies,
192. 11:41and those companies are protected by firefighters,
193. 11:43protected by the police, protected by the military.
194. 11:46And every one of them
195. 11:48...firefighters, police, and the military, are funded by the public.
196. 11:52By the taxes we all pay.
197. 11:55Their wealth exists because of all of our contributions.
198. 12:00So here's the question.
199. 12:02If the country asks for just two percent back,
200. 12:05is that really unfair? Isn't it reasonable?
201. 12:07It is.
202. 12:09Because it allows others to succeed as well.
203. 12:16We conducted a nationwide survey.
204. 12:18Eighty-nine percent of Indonesians...
205. 12:21...support a wealth tax.
206. 12:24And the revenue would be substantial.
207. 12:27It could generate Rp142 trillion a year.
208. 12:31How much is that? It's equivalent to 60%
209. 12:35of all income tax paid by workers across Indonesia.
210. 12:43More importantly,
211. 12:45the revenue from a wealth tax could be returned to the public.
212. 12:49It could be used to fund...
213. 12:52...millions of jobs,
214. 12:54millions of scholarships.
215. 12:55It could be used to improve public services, including free commuter rail.
216. 13:00It could even provide free healthcare...
217. 13:04...including dialysis...
218. 13:07...for Mr. Ajat.
219. 13:08It could help fund Indonesia's National Health Insurance for millions of families.
220. 13:12It could also build homes for middle-income and vulnerable families across Indonesia.
221. 13:18So the question is,
222. 13:19do we have the opportunity?
223. 13:21Is the government willing to do it?
224. 13:24That's an open question for all of us.
225. 13:27Let me close with one simple point.
226. 13:32The key point is this.
227. 13:33Perhaps the issue isn't only that they control our economy.
228. 13:37That's true.
229. 13:38Today, they control almost every sector of our economy.
230. 13:42Perhaps the issue isn't only that they control our political system.
231. 13:47That's true.
232. 13:49Some of them become ministers, some finance political parties,
233. 13:53and some bankroll our politics.
234. 13:57Perhaps the issue isn't only that they control the narrative
235. 14:00the media, online influencers, they have it all.
236. 14:02That's true.
237. 14:04Absolutely.
238. 14:05But there's something far more dangerous.
239. 14:10As this oligarchic republic grows stronger,
240. 14:14it breeds a culture of arrogance and entitlement.
241. 14:20The oligarchs, the ultra-rich, will say,
242. 14:24"We are Indonesia's ultra-rich."
243. 14:27"We're the richest people in Indonesia. And you? You’re just ordinary people.
244. 14:32You have nothing."
245. 14:36That's the culture they have created today.
246. 14:39And today, I want to say to everyone here today...
247. 14:42...and to everyone who may be watching this,
248. 14:45starting today, let us send the oligarchy a message.
249. 14:52A simple message.
250. 14:54We will resist.
251. 14:56We will grow in numbers.
252. 14:58And today, we, the younger generation, will build...
253. 15:02...a much fairer economic future for Indonesia.
254. 15:06Thank you.