Prabowo invokes PDI-P’s Marhaenism ideology to court support for new mineral exc...

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto invoked Marhaenism, an economic ideology tied to the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), as he sought political support for a new mineral exchange plan. Prabowo announced the government's intention to create a domestic exchange for minerals and strategic commodities by next January during his state budget speech at the House of Representatives.

He argued that it was inappropriate for the prices of resources extracted by Indonesians to be set abroad. Prabowo urged lawmakers, now dominated by parties backing his administration, to swiftly debate and pass legislation for the exchange's operation. He stated, "This is not 'Prabowonomics', this is Marhaenism," eliciting laughter from the legislators.

Marhaenism, formulated by the country's first president Sukarno, is a key component of the PDI-P's ideology, advocating for national unity, culture, and collectivist economics as an alternative to liberal economics. The PDI-P, now led by Sukarno's daughter Megawati Soekarnoputri, is the major party in the House, holding 110 of the 580 seats.

It refrains from labeling itself as an opposition party, instead positioning itself as a balancing force that supports government initiatives beneficial to the populace while criticizing policies it deems to deviate from the Constitution.