The Silent Struggle of Southeast Asia’s Middle-Class Youth

Celia Vanessa Hakim

 Southeast Asia is home to more than 670 million people that can be classified as middle-class income and half of the population in this region is under 30 (FSSA, 2024). According to the OECD, the middle-class can be defined as households with incomes ranging from 75%-200% of the median household income in a country (OECD, 2019). In Indonesia, the middle-class commonly represents those who spent between Rp. 2.04 million-Rp. 9.91 million each month (The Jakarta Post, 2024). Interestingly, the middle class status makes up 66.35% of Indonesia’s population based on the data given from the Badan Pusat Statistik or Central Statistical Agency in 2024. The aforementioned definition indicates that people under this classification are expected to earn more and spend more.

Coming from a middle-class family in Indonesia, I have experienced firsthand how rising consumption-related problems have weakened our purchasing power and economic security. This environment forces middle-class youths and myself into a survival mode where we are encouraged to be economically productive, but discouraged from taking risks or engaging meaningfully in something that we enjoy. More often than not, I have witnessed several people around me who are pressured to abandon their passion because they need to take on more financially “secure” jobs to support their families. This has led to a quiet crisis where highly competent individuals are forced to suppress their potential due to financial constraints.

I was fortunate to have the privilege of being able to delve into fields that I am passionate about. However, I also face the double burden of being pressured to pursue financial stability while also navigating expectations to remain socially active. I must navigate this without the safety nets that wealthier peers often enjoy. More importantly, the issue became more complex since I am a triple minority by gender, race, and religion that sometimes becomes a barrier for equal opportunities and recognition. In Indonesia, people with low income normally receive subsidies from the government to fulfill their daily needs, whereas higher income groups afford their own living. But for many of us from middle-class families, although we can afford to live decently, we do so with constant limitations and trade-offs.

As a young woman who aspires to pursue higher education abroad, I am highly dependent on scholarships provided from the country. But, a problem arises as most government scholarships prioritize applicants coming from low-income backgrounds. Meanwhile, those who come from high-income families could generally fund their studies independently. This leaves middle-class individuals like me in a vulnerable position, caught in between, yet often overlooked.

It is perfectly reasonable for the government to prioritize those with low-income or people with economic hurdles who are unable to pay bills or are having to reduce essential expenditures such as food or medicine to control utility costs (Pediatric Clinics of North America, 2021). However, individuals coming from the middle-income are experiencing limited access to basic human rights when they do not have a safety net to rely on. In Southeast Asian countries, youths are more vulnerable to such conditions. Apart from this, they are often being forced into becoming the “future” of their respective societies.

If we truly want to empower youth, reforms have to be made, such as subsidized postgraduate education, stronger public investment in youth-run social enterprises, and the reduction of financial burdens that disproportionately affect middle-income households. Without such changes, we run the risk of losing the very generation that has the potential to address Southeast Asia’s most pressing challenges. The absence of proper education can lead to youths’ voices being frequently undervalued and the participation itself is often symbolic rather than substantive. Therefore, I feel a deep responsibility to use my academic background to bridge gaps between rhetorics, standards and lived experiences. Whether it’s through writing, teaching, or supporting grassroots initiatives, I want to help ensure that Southeast Asia becomes a region where youth are not just survivors, but active builders of a more just, equitable future.

References

 “Indonesia’s Middle Class: A Crucial Pillar for National Economic Stability.” Badan Pusat Statistik (2024). https://www.bps.go.id/en/news/2024/10/25/622/indonesia-s-middle-class–a-crucial-pillar-for-national-economic-stability.html.

“Low Income Household.” Pediatric Clinics of North America (2021). https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/low-income-household#:~:text=In%20subject%20area:%20Social%20Sciences,Energy%20Research%20&%20Social%20Science%2C%202021

“Under Pressure: The Squeezed Middle Class.” OECD, 2019, https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2019/05/under-pressure-the-squeezed-middle-class_f3fa7167/689afed1-en.pdf

“Where is ASEAN’s middle class?” FSSM Investment Managers, 2024, https://www.fssaim.com/hk/en/institutional/insights/asia-pacific/where-is-aseans-middle-class.html