Jakarta, Nov. 20 -- The Indonesian government is stepping up empowerment programs as a key strategy to reduce extreme poverty, Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar said on Thursday.

Speaking at a seminar on Indonesia's 2026 economic outlook in Jakarta, he said the government has shifted its approach from reliance on social aid to strengthening empowerment-based initiatives.

"In other words, the state is striving to guide people to enhance their capacity and self-reliance in pursuit of continuous welfare growth," he said.

Iskandar emphasized that the government is moving away from years of focusing on direct material assistance to address poverty.

Through empowerment-oriented measures, he said the gov...