Ecobiz.asia — Public perception of Danantara in its first year points to its potential as a long-term economic stabilisation instrument, but its investment strategy and governance are widely seen as lagging behind global sovereign wealth funds, according to a national survey released by Petromindo Survey.
The findings were presented by Petromindo Survey researcher Muna Suhailah during a briefing in late February 2026. The survey, titled Public Performance and Trust Survey on One Year of Danantara, was conducted between January 8 and February 19, 2026, marking the first anniversary of Danantara’s establishment as Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund.
The survey found that 47.2% of respondents believe Danantara was established in line with its mandate as a state investment fund. Public confidence in Danantara’s role as a long-term economic stabilisation tool recorded the highest score among assessed indicators, at 3.29 out of 5.
However, this optimism was accompanied by strong criticism. As many as 59% of respondents said Danantara’s investment strategy remains behind those of global sovereign wealth funds such as Temasek and GIC.
Respondents described Danantara’s approach as insufficiently adaptive and not yet reflecting a modern, long-term value creation investment model.
Transparency and accountability in managing public funds scored 2.96 out of 5, while governance and organisational structure received a lower score of 2.90. The accuracy of investment prioritisation was also rated suboptimal, with an average score of 2.97 out of 5.
Overall, Danantara’s first-year performance earned a score of 5.64 out of 10, indicating moderate public satisfaction.
The survey covered respondents from business and industry circles—particularly mining and oil and gas—academia, the general public, as well as government and public institutions. The results revealed marked differences in perception among these groups.
Government and public institution respondents tended to be more optimistic, giving investment priority alignment a score of 4.17 out of 5. In contrast, business and industry players emerged as the most critical group.
Among industry respondents, 60.8% said Danantara’s investment strategy lags behind global peers, citing concerns over institutional independence and the potential for political intervention.
Despite the criticism, a majority of respondents still see Danantara as having significant potential to support national economic growth, particularly in advancing downstream processing and industrialisation agendas.
Around 21% of respondents said they had yet to feel tangible benefits from Danantara’s presence, while the remainder said positive impacts were beginning to emerge, albeit not yet significant.
Petromindo Survey said strengthening governance, transparency, and independent oversight mechanisms will be key challenges for Danantara in the coming years.
Low scores on governance and accountability indicate that the public is still awaiting concrete proof that Danantara can match global sovereign wealth fund standards and truly function as a pillar of Indonesia’s long-term economic stability. ***
For more detailed information on the survey findings, please contact Petromindo Survey.
