Indonesian Tycoons Move Assets Overseas Following President Prabowo Subianto's Inauguration

Since the inauguration of President Prabowo Subianto, Indonesian tycoons have been moving a significant portion of their assets overseas.

Indonesian tycoons are moving a significant portion of their assets overseas following the inauguration of President Prabowo Subianto, as reported by local media.

According to Bloomberg on the 11th (local time), with the main factor being the administration's instability, high-net-worth individuals began converting their assets into cryptocurrencies, overseas real estate, and gold last year and are accelerating this trend following the sharp decline in the value of the rupiah in March.

Earlier, in March, the rupiah exchange rate soared to 16,957 rupiah per dollar, marking its highest point since the Asian financial crisis in 1998. The Jakarta Composite Stock Price Index (JCI) has fallen by more than 10% so far this year.

The brunt of the criticism is being directed at President Subianto, the son-in-law of former President Suharto, a past military dictator. Since taking office in October, President Subianto has faced backlash for implementing imprudent welfare-centered populism policies despite the country's fiscal soundness.

The president's policies have also served to expand the military's political influence, triggering large-scale protests.

However, with domestic and external instability continuing, Indonesian tycoons appear to be turning their attention to new investment opportunities.

According to Bloomberg, cryptocurrencies are being presented as alternatives to the rupiah, with the stablecoin Tether (USDT) emerging as a notable option. USDT is a coin pegged to the dollar at a 1-to-1 ratio, providing the advantage of anonymity, allowing large sums to be transferred without detection. Recently, the proportion of USDT transactions on Tokocrypto, Indonesia's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has approached one-quarter of daily trading volume.

Investment in overseas real estate is also increasing. This involves purchasing residential and commercial properties overseas under the names of family members or acquaintances. An anonymous local private banker mentioned in an interview with Bloomberg that "Singapore is significantly strengthening anti-money laundering measures, and the Middle East regions, including the United Arab Emirates, are emerging," adding that "they are also attempting offshore tax evasion by establishing paper companies in Dubai and Abu Dhabi."

Furthermore, purchases of gold are increasing. According to data from PT Hartadinata Abadi, Indonesia's largest private gold distributor, gold sales in the first quarter of this year rose by 30% compared to the previous year, marking the largest increase since its IPO in 2017.

Experts believe that the administration needs to send clear signals regarding its stance and policies on fiscal soundness. Deddy Dinarto, a senior analyst at Global Consulting, pointed out that "distrust in the administration is leading to the sharp decline in the value of the rupiah and sell-offs in the stock market."

"If confidence in policies is not established, capital outflow will be inevitable," he added.