JAKARTA - The National Journalists Forum (FWK) highlighted the weakness of the public communication of the government of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka in the midst of global energy crisis pressures. Criticism of a number of programs, such as Free Nutritious Meals, food self-sufficiency, and Red and White Cooperatives, is considered inseparable from the government's way of conveying policies that have not convinced the public.
The spotlight came in the FWK halalbihalal in Jakarta, Wednesday, April 15. In the forum, FWK still appreciates the government's steps to hold off the increase in subsidized fuel prices to dampen global turmoil and maintain people's purchasing power.
FWK Coordinator Raja Parlindungan Pane said the policy of maintaining energy prices should be appreciated. However, the government still needs to improve public communication so that the policies taken do not cause misunderstandings in the midst of a sensitive economic situation.
The discussion also discussed the economic performance of the Prabowo-Gibran government in the first quarter of 2026. Present in the forum were, among others, former Deputy Chairman of the Press Council for the period 2019-2022 Hendry Ch Bangun and a number of senior journalists of the FWK management, including VOI Editor-in-Chief, Iqbal Irsyad, Suara Merdeka Jakarta Editor-in-Chief, Budi Nugraha, M. Nasir, Abdul Rahim Loebis and other senior journalists of the FWK management.
Hendry assessed that the government was quite good in anticipating national economic pressures, including the impact of the global energy crisis due to the US-Israel war with Iran. However, according to the former Chairman of the PWI Pusat, prudence in managing the budget and fiscal space must be accompanied by stronger public communications and a real call for the public to save energy.
"Traffic in Jakarta is still very congested. This is a waste of energy. Avoid waste," said Hendry.
Meanwhile, FWK manager Abdul Rahim Loebis emphasized that FWK needs to support government policies that protect people's purchasing power, but journalists should not lose their critical attitude. The government, said this former Antara journalist, must also be careful so that the steps taken do not erase the public's positive perception.
The spotlight, among other things, led to the import of 105,000 pickup trucks and trucks from India to support the Red and White Cooperative. The move is considered risky to clash with the narrative of economic independence that President Prabowo continues to build.
FWK Economic Coordinator Herry Sinamarata emphasized that press freedom must be maintained so that the media can continue to monitor the government's programs. Citing the views of economists from India who won the 1998 Nobel Prize in Economics, he said the press was important to uncover poverty, corruption, and development problems that the government must answer.
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