“Suahasil will bring continuity through his understanding of the state budget architecture […], but the swift transition must be backed by clear policy communication to avoid adding to uncertainty,” said Rizal Taufikurrahman, head of the center for macroeconomics and finance at the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef).

Time is of the essence, with the budget under pressure from priority spending, subsidies and heavy financing needs, while 2026 is expected to end with a wider-than-planned fiscal deficit at 2.85 percent of gross domestic product. 

The market ultimately would judge not based on who the finance minister is, but whether the change could make fiscal policy more disciplined, consistent and predictable, Rizal told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Read also: Prabowo sacks Purbaya, turns to familiar hand at Finance Ministry

“Suahasil is known for a leadership that prioritizes governance and bureaucratic stability, fiscal credibility and policy predictability,” said Airlangga University monetary economics professor Rahma Gafmi. 

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Suahasil was expected to take a different tack from Purbaya, whose latest push was for Danantara to remit Rp 120 trillion (US$6.8 billion) in state-owned enterprise dividends to the budget this year as a fiscal buffer, despite objections from the state asset fund.

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