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resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s last state of the nation address before the 2019 elections has added to the expectation that the economy will be the hottest issue in the upcoming presidential campaign between him and challenger Prabowo Subianto.

“The economy is what’s most on people’s minds these days, so it makes sense that this will be what the campaign is about,” Saiful Mujani Research Center (SMRC) chief researcher Djayadi Hanan said on Friday. “The government coalition will try to play up the positive aspects, while the opposition focuses on the negative aspects.”

That dynamic played out during the joint session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Thursday, where Jokowi’s speech was preceded by a pointed critique of the government’s economic policies by MPR Speaker Zulkifli Hasan.

In his speech, Jokowi highlighted his administration’s achievements in infrastructure development and welfare programs in his fourth year since taking office.

“For almost four years, my government has fought to regain the people’s trust by really working to develop the country from Sabang to Merauke, from Miangas to Rote islands, equitably and fairly,” Jokowi said in the annual speech in the legislative complex on Thursday morning.

Dressed in his now signature blue suit and red tie, Jokowi said the construction of infrastructure such as toll roads, airports and mass transit facilities was of significance beyond their physical use.

He also highlighted the Indonesia Smart Card and the national health insurance (JKN) scheme as examples of his achievements.

“To be honest, it was very flat,” political expert Muhammad Qodari from Jakarta-based pollster Indo Barometer said.

He said that the speech lacked emphasis on recent achievements, such as the regional elections,
and overemphasized well-trodden topics, such as infrastructure and social welfare programs.

“The speech also did not address people’s current worries regarding the economy, especially the rupiah’s value,” he said.

Opposition politician Tifatul Sembiring from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) concurred.

“I agree that infrastructure should be fundamentally developed, especially in places like Papua,” he said. “But we can’t just focus on infrastructure and neglect other things like gas prices, electricity prices and so on.”

Those economic issues related to people’s immediate need for food were what Zulkifli, the chairman of Prabowo coalition member the National Mandate Party (PAN), homed in on with his speech.

“Pak President, housewives have conveyed a message [for the government] to ensure that food commodities are affordable,” Zulkifli said.

He also cited the importance of managing Indonesia’s foreign debt to ensure domestic economic stability and resilience and, more importantly, to prevent a financial crisis.

“We must keep in mind that the principles of the nation’s well-being should not be [sacrificed] when they clash with political reality. [...] The principles must not be neglected for the interest of a few elites,” he said.

Zulkifli’s speech echoed statements made by Prabowo and his running mate Sandiaga Uno since they officially registered as candidates last week.

Pro-government United Development Party (PPP) chairman Mohammad Romahurmuziy rebuffed Zulkifli’s claims that prices were too high, citing the low level of inflation that has been maintained throughout Jokowi’s first term.

“We have to look at the economic parameters in the long term and not just from moment to moment,” he said.

Qodari said that Jokowi should try to engage better with the economic issues felt on the ground in order to counter opposition attacks. “People now take things like the infrastructure and welfare programs for granted; and that’s not where their biggest concerns lie at the moment.”

But, Djayadi said, the focus on the economy was, in fact, a positive development, since it meant that parties seemed to be avoiding potentially explosive identity politics.