Destry Damayanti Pledges Independence for Bank Indonesia

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Destry Damayanti, the candidate for Bank Indonesia Governor, emphasized the necessity of collaboration between the government and the monetary authority to tackle challenging situations, while emphasizing that this cooperation does not undermine Bank Indonesia's independence. During the fit and proper test at DPR Commission XI, she articulated her vision and mission for Sinergi Merah Putih untuk Kesejahteraan Rakyat Indonesia (Red and White Synergy for the Welfare of the Indonesian People).

Destry asserted that this synergy would not jeopardize the credibility and independence of the central bank. She reiterated her commitment to maintaining independence as mandated by the latest P2SK Law.

Destry highlighted that national issues cannot be resolved by individual institutions, as each possesses unique strengths, necessitating unity. She emphasized the importance of combining strengths, with each institution contributing complementary resources. In her presentation, Destry outlined her aspirations for Bank Indonesia, stating that she seeks an adaptable and innovative central bank to support stability, growth, and sustainability.

She acknowledged the global challenges Indonesia currently faces, including geopolitical risks, economic slowdown, vulnerable financial markets, rising inflation, capital flow volatility, and digitalization risks. However, she also pointed out that several macroeconomic indicators remain strong due to a stable inflation rate, a stable rupiah exchange rate, a resilient financial system, and domestic economic growth, all of which are attributed to government policy stimulus and Bank Indonesia's policy mix.

Destry outlined five missions for Bank Indonesia under her leadership. These include strengthening the policy mix to maintain rupiah stability and promote growth; optimizing data management and preserving economic sovereignty by regulating foreign exchange traffic; creating inclusive, sustainable, and sharia-compliant finance; enhancing credibility and accelerating digital innovation towards institutional governance; and strengthening coordination towards a more advanced and higher quality Indonesia.

Destry emphasized that the Bank Indonesia policy mix aims to create a conducive economic environment, maintaining price stability as the primary prerequisite for fostering national self-sufficiency, which is the essence of Asta Cita.