A full day at IdeaFest 2025 with Agak Laen, Purbaya, Ben Soebiakto and Bilal Faranov. Laughter, insight, and creativity everywhere.
It’s been years since I last set foot at IdeaFest, and wow, it has truly grown into a monster of an event. The good kind of monster. The kind that swallows you whole in excitement, inspiration, and way too many people queueing for the toilet and every session.
Last week, I got a WhatsApp message from Ben Soebiakto’s personal assistant. Yep, Ben is the creative powerhouse behind IdeaFest. The message was a formal invitation to IdeaFest 2025, themed “(Cult)ivate The Culture.” The 13th edition of Indonesia’s biggest creative festival, promising 400+ speakers, idea forums, booths, and collaboration galore. I smiled reading it. It felt like dejavu.
See, back in 2013, I actually worked with Ben and help sell IdeaFest tickets offline, while my husband handled the online ticketing through his startup, Tiket.com, which was only two years old at the time. I still remember how Ahok spoke on stage that year, talking about “salmon swimming upstream”, a metaphor to describe those who bravely go against the current, challenging norms, and facing resistance.
Our weekend schedule was already packed, but we decided to dedicate our Sunday fully to IdeaFest. The whole family came along. We joined the online service at JPCC first, then hit the road. I was already sleepy because I had gone for a morning walk at the Botanic Garden around 6 AM. Naturally, our first stop upon arrival at JCC around 12:30 PM was… coffee.
While waiting in line for Kopi Kenangan, a young woman approached me with a warm smile. She introduced herself as Anisa, one of my Instagram followers. She told me she loved my writings and that they had made a real impact on her. I was touched. She then asked why I hadn’t been posting long captions lately. I laughed and told her, “Yeah, I’ve gone back to writing longer pieces on my blog instead, around a thousand words a day.” We chatted for a few minutes before she wished me a happy day at IdeaFest. Such a sweet reminder of why I keep writing.
And then while waiting for my husband, the girls and I joined a booth activation by Vidio and scored free coffee. Not bad! A few minutes later, my husband showed up and joined the Telkomsel booth activation, where we got a funny AI-generated photo of ourselves. Meanwhile, my eldest spent quite a while at the Taco booth, asking questions about flooring materials and art.
At 12:55, we made our way into the Assembly Hall because I didn’t want to miss “Agak Laen 2: Laughter, Legacy & The Next Level of Indonesian Comedy.” Thank God we came early, because the hall filled up fast. By the time it started, people were standing in the back. The session was hilarious. Those guys are born comedians! Their timing, their banter, everything felt effortless. My stomach hurt from laughing. Can't wait to watch Agak Laen 2 the movie on theatre this November 23rd, save the date!
After that, I dashed to the restroom that had a line sooo long. By the time I returned, my husband was still inside the hall, thank God, reserving one seat for me, waiting for the next session. When I finally came back to the hall, it was totally full, so I'm so glad I still can sit comfortably, third row from the front.
Because turns out, it was a surprise session featuring Minister of Finance, Pak Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa!
If you’ve followed my stories, you’d know I’d gone through great lengths just a week earlier to attend the OCBC Business Forum, mainly to see him, only to find out he wasn’t there. So this? Totally unexpected. Apparently, according to Ben, Pak Purbaya had only confirmed two hours before the session began.
And wow, what a session. Candid, no jargon. Just raw, sharp, honest talk. The man speaks like someone who’s seen the mess firsthand and decided to fix it. Some people may not like his bluntness, but I find it refreshing. He’s direct, logical, and allergic to fluff. Every answer hit straight to the point. It was such a rare treat to see a government official talk like that.
I recorded videos during his session, and uploaded on my Youtube so you can all watch and enjoy:
- Pak Purbaya Yudi Sadewa confidently assures the audience that Indonesia's economic future is "cerah" (bright) and encourages young people not to worry. He justifies this assertion by citing his deep expertise, which includes a doctorate (S3) in economics and extensive experience assisting the government since 2002, stating that he has successfully tested nearly all macroeconomic theories on the Indonesian economy and knows precisely how to implement the necessary improvements
- Pak Purbaya Yudi Sadewa dismisses the idea of being a "media darling," stating he is simply being the same straightforward and honest economist he has been for years, suggesting that others are surprised only because previous public-facing economists were not as direct. He then turns the criticism onto the media, including the interviewer, for asking questions that he claims are "not sharp enough," which prevents other intelligent experts from fully conveying their knowledge and expertise
- Andy Noya challenges Pak Purbaya's extremely optimistic economic forecasts, which include casually stating Indonesia can break 6% growth and possibly hit 8% despite widespread fears of job loss, a global economic crisis, and massive national debt. Noya's "roast" frames Purbaya's comments as potentially just "pleasing words" that don't reflect actual capability and tasks him with explaining the nation's key problems, his proposed solutions, and his scale of priorities within a strict seven-minute limit
- Humorous exchange between them before Pak Purbaya speaks, where Andy Noya initially accuses Purbaya of being afraid of the tax authority by giving him only seven minutes to speak. Noya confidently counters by declaring himself a long-time tax ambassador and a compliant taxpayer, to which Pak Purbaya jokingly responds by threatening to use his position to order the tax authority to audit Noya every day, concluding the light-hearted "roast" by noting that such an action would be a personal act.
- Pak Purbaya offers an economist's perspective on the large-scale public demonstrations that occurred before he became Minister of Finance, arguing they were not solely political. He attributes the public unrest to poor economic policy, specifically a restrictive monetary approach where money was "absorbed" and effectively taken out of the economy by both the central bank and the finance ministry, causing the growth rate of the base money to hit zero. He explains this "choked" economy led to widespread hardship, causing the public's dissatisfaction to manifest as protests and a quick escalation to anger and street action due to feelings of an uncertain future.
- Pak Purbaya discusses a Consumer Confidence Index (ICC) survey that he has conducted for 25 years, which allows him to calibrate a reliable Consumer Confidence Index in the Government. He uses this index to identify "danger levels" for the administration. He notes that in September, the index dropped to its lowest point, comparable only to the COVID-19 period. However, after implementing policy changes, public sentiment quickly turned around, with the index beginning to rise in October, resulting in improved social stability and a more positive view of the government within a span of just one to two months. He expresses confidence that these policies will lead to a brighter Indonesia.
- Pak Purbaya defends his ambitious target for economic growth, stating that those who limit growth to under 5% risk the country becoming stuck in a "middle income trap". While acknowledging that reaching 8% growth is not easy, he maintains it is not impossible and is a goal to strive for by boosting the engines of economic growth; he suggests 7% is a good short-term goal. When challenged by Andy Noya on whether the 8% claim is a genuine possibility or a lie, Purbaya insists he is capable, citing his advanced degree (S3 in pure economics). He clarifies that the initial focus was on turning negative public sentiment positive by talking up a better economic future, with the gradual, credible path to 8% following later.
- A questioner initially gives a long "sermon" about the danger of cigarettes and the "brutal" nature of high taxes, highlighting the contradiction between the tobacco industry being an economic contributor while causing a significant public health burden. Pak Purbaya, after interjecting to ask for the actual question, explains that while high excise taxes (57%) are intended to eliminate smoking, such a policy would irresponsibly kill the industry and lead to mass unemployment in tobacco-dependent cities like Kediri. He argues that any move to reduce the tobacco sector must be a phased, responsible policy that includes a long-term plan and incentives to shift workers to new sectors to prevent an increase in unemployment .
- A newly married attendee asks Pak Purbaya, who manages the nation's finances, who controls the money at home. Pak Purbaya, with a dramatic pause, confesses that despite his economic expertise, he is "powerless" at home ("kita tidak berdaya") and that all his money is managed by his wife, indicating he shares the same fate as the questioner. Andy Noya then jokingly reprimands the questioner, who has only been married for two months, by comparing his short experience to Noya's 37 years of marriage, stating Noya has already mastered the suffering ("sudah khatam penderitaannya") 😂
- Pak Purbaya addresses two main topics:
- Economic Risk and Youth's Role (5-10 years): He states that the biggest economic risk is not global fluctuation, as Indonesia's economy is primarily driven by domestic demand (80-90%). The main danger is internal, in failing to adopt the right domestic policies. The youth's role lies in strengthening domestic production by ensuring local players dominate the domestic market, which requires boosting the competitiveness of Indonesian companies and utilizing the skills of smart Indonesian people who haven't been given enough opportunities. He gives examples of restricting second-hand clothes imports and managing the tobacco industry to protect local markets.
- The LPDP Scholarship Program: Regarding the LPDP (Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education) program, which the questioner noted was a popular legacy program, Pak Purbaya's answer is not explicitly contained in the provided transcript, as he shifts directly into answering the first question after the LPDP query is posed.
- Pak Purbaya contrasts Indonesia's past economic growth drivers, noting that under the previous administration, high base money growth fueled the private sector, while the subsequent administration relied on government infrastructure spending as money growth stalled, leading to public dissatisfaction. He explains that his initial two-step strategy to fix the stalled economy was to first create public optimism (even mentioning "8%" growth) using the "Macroeconomics of Self-fulfilling Prophecy" to encourage spending. Second, he implemented a cash management policy by moving 200 trillion Rupiah of idle government money from the Central Bank to commercial banks, which successfully boosted money growth and liquidity, with the expectation that this will drive economic growth above 5.5%
- Pak Purbaya shares an anecdote about a generational shift, noting that unlike his time when students readily took scholarships, the younger generation ("Gen Z") seems to prioritize "flexing" over traditional opportunities, though he adds that once engaged, they are very smart. Crucially, he announces a significant increase in funding for the popular LPDP (Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education) scholarship program, stating that the current fund of 250 trillion Rupiah will be supplemented with an additional 25 trillion Rupiah this year.
- Pak Purbaya addresses public fear regarding the national debt, stating that Indonesia's debt-to-GDP ratio is currently almost 40%. He argues that this is not dangerous if the economy is managed well, citing the international standard set by the Maastricht Treaty, which deems a ratio below 60% as safe. He criticizes past "mismanagement" where 300 to 400 trillion Rupiah was unspent annually, incurring an unnecessary interest cost of around 24 trillion Rupiah for money that was not put to use. He asserts that his focus is now on ensuring that all borrowed funds are spent effectively and on time to generate real economic growth, reduce unemployment, and make the country "rich together"
- Pak Purbaya outlines his strategy for boosting the Indonesian economy, which focuses on increasing the Tax-to-GDP ratio. He notes that when the private sector drove the economy (during the SBY administration), the ratio was nearly 12%, but it dropped to 10% later, resulting in an annual income loss of around 260 trillion Rupiah. He argues that by reviving the private sector, the tax collection rate will automatically improve. Furthermore, he states that if he can effectively eliminate budgetary leaks, which he estimates to be around 30% of the budget, he could reduce or eliminate the need for new debt.
- Pak Purbaya recounts a serious conversation he had with the Attorney General (Jaksa Agung) regarding the handling of corruption cases involving officials from the Tax and Customs (Bea Cukai) offices. He was surprised when the Attorney General asked if such officials should be processed, which Purbaya answered with a clear yes, asserting that everyone is equal under the law. The reason for the question, as explained to Purbaya, was that in the past, there were frequent political interventions to protect these officials, often with the excuse that prosecuting them would "disturb the stability of state revenue". Purbaya condemns this past practice, which he believes fostered impunity and led to repeated corruption cases, and asserts that under his leadership, the past practice is over, and any official who continues such corruption will be disciplined.
- Pak Purbaya delivers a message of confidence to the audience, especially to the younger generation ("Gen Z"). He advises them not to fear the future of the economy or the uncertainties of global crises. He asserts that as long as Indonesia can effectively manage its domestic economic policy, the country will continue to grow well, with the steps currently being taken expected to accelerate economic growth even further.
After the session, I went for yet another bathroom break (seriously, someone please tell JCC to add more restrooms). Then I met up with my husband again, who had chosen to attend the session “Value-Based Leadership: Standing Amidst The Storm” by Bilal Faranov, founder of Suara Berkelas. When it ended, we bumped into Dimas Ramadhan, the travel influencer who also happens to be my husband’s cousin. He introduced us to Bilal afterward, and being recommended as a potential speaker.
We were starving by then, so we headed to the Semasa, but it was so packed and we couldn't find any food. So, after a few failed attempts to find food, the four of us decided to bail. On our way out, we ran into Ben himself. Perfect timing. We thanked him, took a quick photo together, and finally made our way out of the crowd.
Waze guided us straight to the toll road, so we skipped Slipi and ended up eating at a rest area instead. Not exactly fancy, but surprisingly satisfying. Bakso Lapangan Tembak has various menu. Four meals for about 160K. Not bad for Jakarta prices. We didn’t stay long because a screaming kid was turning the place into an audio nightmare. My ears begged for mercy.
By the time we got home, we were exhausted but fulfilled. I felt grateful. For the memories, the laughter, the surprise moments. For the people who still believe in the power of ideas, and have the courage to keep cultivating them.
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