Despite Being An Ornop Status, PCPS Is Called Not To Criticize The Government

Hashim Djojohadikusumo at the launch of the Center for Policy Studies/PCPS. (ANTARA PHOTO)

JAKARTA UNJ sociologist, Rakhmat Hidayat assessed that the establishment of a Center for Policy Studies (PCPS) study institute with the status of a non-governmental organization (Ornop) would not criticize the policies of the Prabowo Subianto government.

The reason is, "genetically" the establishment of PCPS was criminalized by Hashim Djojohadikusumo along with a number of Gerindra Party elites such as Burhanuddin Abdullah. Therefore, PCPS is considered different from other ornops, the majority of which were born out of community participation.

Those serious organizations or NGOs come from bottom-ups, not top-downs. The NGOs were formed to balance the country's hegemony, they are out of power, while the inscription was formed by the country's elite which could be said to represent the interests of the state," explained Rakhmat, Sunday, July 6, 2025.

He suspects that PCPS will represent a country that gives legitimacy to power through studies that are interpreted as the voice of civil society. With the stamp from PCPS, the Prabowo government will look democratic in making policies.

"It could be part of the country's political strategy to try to consolidate its power. So, this shows the public that with this institution the think-tank seems to show PCPS is part of the democracy developed by Prabowo," he added.

In addition, PCPS has the potential to become a forum for co-opting or tame critical thinking about power. Rakhmat assessed that studies in various fields released by PCPS will later be narrated as a contribution of intellectual thinking to government policy recommendations.

"Because this institution is not an NGO, this is a government-formed institution. PCPS is a state institution that is made-up into an NGO. Basically, it is a tool for legitimizing power in matters of study, economy, law and education, which later is considered the voice of civil society," he said.

According to Rakhmat, ornops or NGOs should apply the principle of counter hegemony that is critical of power. This is because critical NGOs play a role in supervising state actors in carrying out the mandate of the people according to the constitution.

Therefore, with the existence of political party elites supporting the government behind PCPS, they will be hampered by conflicts of interest when taking an opinion position or criticizing the government's policies Prabowo Subianto. PCPS will experience a conflict of interest when it comes to criticizing government policies. It could be that such practices are a form of state cooptation towards civil society," he concluded.

Previously, Hashim Djojohadikusumo together with a number of elite Gerindra Party launched a study institute at the Center for Policy Studies (PCPS) some time ago. According to Hashim, as an ornop, PCPS aims to produce studies in the field of public policy and will remain critical in responding to various government policies that are deemed inappropriate.

"If we see the government is guilty or wrong, yes, we must be honest. If we think government policy is wrong, we must dare to convey it," said Hashim, who is President Prabowo Subianto's younger brother.