Suram Economy, Satisfaction Level With Prabowo-Gibran Government Should Be Questioned

JAKARTA - Public policy expert UPN Veteran Jakarta, Achmad Nur Hidayat questioned the high number of public satisfaction in the Prabowo-Gibran government when the economy was difficult and there was a wave of massive layoffs.

Previously, the Kompas Research and Development survey revealed that the performance of the one hundred days of the Prabowo-Gibran administration was considered satisfactory by the public. The survey, which was conducted on January 4-10, 2025, showed that 80.9 percent of the people were satisfied with Prabowo-Gibran's performance, compared to 19.1 percent who said they were dissatisfied.

This figure is fairly high when compared to the 100 working days of the Joko Widodo (Jokowi) administration for two terms. In 2015, the Kompas Research and Development survey showed that the level of public satisfaction in the Jokowi government was only around 65.1 percent, while 34.9 percent said they were dissatisfied.

Achmad assessed that the high level of public satisfaction with the Prabowo-Gibran government was boosted by the launch of the free nutritious food program (MBG). Moreover, the Kompas R&D survey was carried out shortly after the government's flagship program was launched.

"This is in accordance with the theory of social psychology which states that the positive experience that has just been experienced has a greater impact on perceptions than the long-term experience," he said, Sunday, January 26, 2025.

According to him, the MBG program is able to create strong positive effects in the public's mind. Apart from MBG, Prabowo also benefited from the new populist policies, including the cancellation of the 12 percent increase in VAT.

The survey results reflect people's enthusiasm for the new government and newly launched programs. However, if done at different times, the results may indicate a more moderate number," continued Achmad.

He also stated that the effects of political honeymoon also formed a public optimistic perception at the beginning of the Prabowo-Gibran administration. However, the Prabowo regime must be careful in interpreting the high satisfaction rate.

The high level of public satisfaction does not necessarily mean that the public is truly satisfied deeply. In many cases, this figure reflects public expectations for the new government, which could change over time if the government fails to meet these expectations, "explained Achmad.

He emphasized that the high level of public satisfaction during sluggish economic conditions shows a paradox. This indicates that public perceptions tend to be strongly influenced by expectations against Prabowo-Gibran, not by the objective reality they are facing.

Effective government communication in managing public expectations also plays an important role. The narrative built by the government about the success of the MBG program and their commitment to improving economic conditions is able to reduce feelings of dissatisfaction, even among people who are directly affected by economic difficulties," concluded Achmad.