JAKARTA, March 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Indonesia is eyeing up to 80 trillion rupiah ($4.7 billion) in savings to cushion its economy from the fallout of the war in the Middle East, according to the government. During the interview, presidential spokesman Prasetyo Hadi suggested the government is seeking savings of 80 trillion rupiah -- a number confirmed to AFP by the presidency on Monday. The government has repeatedly insisted Prabowo's signature free meals program -- budgeted at $19.7 billion for 2026 -- will remain untouched. Unlike many of its neighbours, Southeast Asia's biggest economy has not yet seen long fuel queues as global oil prices have soared. The government will finalise its work-from-home policy and announce it to the public "as soon as possible", Prasetyo said Saturday.
