Prabowo and Jokowi on stage together at Gerindra's 17th anniversary celebration in Bogor, West Java, on Feb 15, 2025. (Photo by ADITYA AJI / AFP)
THE broadcaster from Radio TV Indonesia (RRI) in Ternate was heard sobbing on air. She understands the necessity for the government budget cuts. Unfortunately, she is one of those whose employment was to be terminated (the Indonesian term is "pemutusan hubungan kerja or PHK" in the name of "efisiensi anggaran" (budget efficiency).
Addressing the president live on-air she said, “Do you ever think that while you have successfully allocated free meals for children but when they come home they find out that their parents are not able to provide lunch or dinner as their employment is terminated?”
"Makan berginzi gratis" (free meal programme) is one of the campaign promises made by President Prabowo Subianto. The government expect at least three million students will benefit in the early days of the programme. By year-end, 17 million students will be provided free meal.
The idea is noble but it is a mammoth undertaking. The cost is staggering. No government in the world has successfully undertaken such a massive programme.
But Prabowo believes it is the only way to ensure students get a decent meal and to address stunting among its populace. Considering almost 20% of the population live in poverty, the initiative should be lauded.
Prabowo inherits a government that has to deal with, among other things, debilitating debts left behind by the previous president Joko Widodo (Jokowi).
The development of the new capital, Nusantara is draining government coffers. The anticipation that foreign and domestic investments are flowing into the new administrative capital is wishful thinking.
It has been a tough 100 days for the eighth president of Indonesia. The budget cuts across the board while inevitable are simply burdensome for most ministries. Some encounter more than 70% reduction thus rending the ministries incapacitated.
Students are demonstrating the last many days in major cities across Indonesia. The theme of the protests is “Indonesia Gelap” (Dark Indonesia).
It is the manifestation of anger, disappointment and distrust by students. They believed the government is not doing enough to ensure a better space for freedom, transparency and credibility. And the budget cuts are hurting education.
The scepticism about Prabowo’s budget cuts is understandable. But his detractors are pointing to the fact that he has assembled the biggest number of ministers, deputy ministers and officers with special functions post-Reformasi.
However, he has not been taking lightly the criticism of his bloated Cabinet (kabinet gemoy). In fact, it was his response to such criticism when he uttered a swear word in Javanese that had created a massive backlash.
Some of his ministers had put him in difficult situations. The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, who is leading the powerful Golkar Party created such a mess when he disallowed small traders to sell the 3kg subsidised LPG.
It created such a commotion that Prabowo had to interfere. The case of the 30km bamboo wall in the sea off the coast of Tangerang is another big issue. Many believed the oligarchs are behind the plan but as for now the headman of Kohod, one of the villages involved, will be the only scapegoat.
Coupled with that is #Kaburajedulu, a hashtag created by disillusioned young people to encourage their peers to work abroad.
Indonesia is not providing enough jobs for the young. The move is further aggravated by irresponsible comments made by people close to Prabowo who branded them not nationalistic and worse, making statements like if they wish to work outside, go and don’t come back.
The honeymoon for Prabowo is short-lived. He is seen as a man who will bring the difference after Jokowi’s 10-year despotic rule. It is an acceptable belief that Prabowo is indebted to Jokowi. He would not have won the presidency had Jokowi not played his part.
People can understand if Prabowo has to "ambil hati" (take care of) Jokowi. He appointed 17 ministers from Jokowi’s era. But many believe that given time and space, Prabowo will free himself from the yoke of loyalty to Jokowi. But after 100 days, that is not happening.
When Prabowo openly stated at the XVIII Congress of the Women’s Wing of Nahdatul Ulama at Surabaya that there are insidious attempt to drive a wrench between him and Jokowi, people can still swallow.
But what happened in Bogor at the 17th anniversary celebration of Gerindra, the party that he led, was the turning point. Prabowo was praising Jokowi to the skies, even presenting him a keris named “Kiai Garuda Yaksa”.
Many observers believed it is just proper to thank Jokowi. After all, Prabowo was a soldier who understands loyalty and gratitude. But by placing Jokowi high on the pedestal despite Jokowi becoming the number one enemy of civil society, intellectuals and students, and being named one of the most corrupt leaders in the free world by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) is a wrong move.
Jokowi in return told Gerindra members that Prabowo is the strongest president in the world today and nobody dares to criticise him.
How wrong he was. It triggered the biggest ever demonstrations nationwide by students the country has ever seen post-Reformasi era.
The writer is a veteran journalist. He writes extensively about Indonesian literature, culture and politics. The views expressed here are the writer’s own.
