Indonesia's chief economics minister has blasted the media for constantly portraying the nation in a negative light.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa, speaking at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Thursday, also claimed that the criticism was part of a coordinated attempt to destabilize the country.

"It cannot be any other way," Hatta said. "Our size is big like a mother ship and when we maneuver slightly we will shake people," he added in what may be a reference to Indonesia and other countries.

Indonesia is currently receiving criticism for its continued high-levels of corruption and perceptions of growing intolerance among its Muslim majority. Even the resort island of Bali has been panned as a holiday destination from "hell" in the international media.

Hatta also singled out an Indonesian television channel for its negative coverage. "I don't have to mention the name, but there's one TV channel that always tells bad things about Indonesia," he said. "The purpose might be to prevent investors from coming here."

He could be referring to either MetroTV or TVOne, which are both owned by political rivals of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

He implored people to be fair in their perceptions of Indonesia, saying the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development had ranked the country as the Number 9 investment destination in the world.

"Our population is as high as 237.6 million and every year there are 7 or 8 million people lifted up to the middle class," Hatta said. "So, the purchasing power is increasing. We also have an abundance of natural resources. This way, Indonesia has been destined by God as an Asian tiger."