TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Deputy State Secretary Minister Juri Ardiantoro said that it would not be a problem if the reciprocal tariff deal with the U.S. sparked public controversy.
"There are actually always pros and cons to any policy," Juri remarked at the Parliament Complex in Jakarta on Thursday, July 17, 2025.
The agreement, which saw the import tariff on Indonesian goods to the U.S. reduced from 32 percent to 19 percent, has drawn attention, particularly because it grants the U.S. "full access" to Indonesia. Juri, however, declined to elaborate on the meaning of "full access."
The former Chair of the General Election Commission urged the public to monitor the implementation of the agreement between the two countries. "Certainly, in any trade, there will be dynamics during implementation," he noted.
According to Juri, public support for the agreement is seen as appreciation by the government, while criticism is considered valuable feedback for evaluating government performance.
Juri affirmed that the agreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and President Prabowo is a success. He could not confirm whether Prabowo would negotiate with Trump again.
"Technically, of course, the government, especially the relevant ministries, will follow up on the trade tariff agreements that have been made. So, let's wait."
Previously, Prabowo announced his conversation with Trump regarding the U.S.'s decision to lower import tariffs on Indonesian products. Prabowo shared this development on his Instagram account on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.
"I had a very good call with President Donald Trump. Together, we agreed and concluded to take trade relations between Indonesia and the United States into a new era of mutual benefit between our two great nations," he wrote.
Prabowo added that Trump also sent warm regards to all Indonesians.
Concerns Regarding the Tariff Policy
However, not everyone views the agreement positively. Suroto, Chair of the Association of Strategic Socio-Economic Cadres (AKSES), argued that the 19 percent reciprocal tariff from the U.S. on Indonesian products does not strengthen Indonesia's national economic position. He believed the agreement signals a weakness in Indonesia's bargaining power.
"Instead of strengthening the national economic position, this agreement implies a weakness of bargaining power and a crisis in our trading strategy direction," he said in a written statement on Thursday, July 17, 2025.
Eka Yudha Saputra and Annisa Febiola contributed to this article.
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