The rupiah’s weakness is more than a currency chart. At around Rp17,859 per US dollar today, it reflects a deeper anxiety: markets are questioning our fiscal discipline, legal certainty, and quality of governance.

At the same time, public money is being pushed into massive programs whose execution raises serious concerns. MBG (Makanan Bergizi Gratis) should help children, not become a rushed, oversized bureaucracy with safety, targeting, and oversight problems. Koperasi Merah Putih also risks becoming another expensive state-driven project if physical outlets, warehouses, and equipment are built faster than accountability, competence, and real cooperative capacity.

Pressure is already growing as fuel prices and PLN electricity tariffs have risen. Higher transport and energy costs rarely stay isolated; they ripple into food, logistics, rent, small business costs, and daily necessities.

Then there is legal uncertainty. Cases like the Ibam / Chromebook procurement matter not only because of the individuals involved, but because they shape how professionals, innovators, and investors read Indonesia.

May we pray that today’s leaders are given guidance and the government is filled with people who are honest, competent, and trustworthy.