Often Annuls Ministerial Policy, Central Prabowo Implements 'Check Waves' Strategy

President Prabowo Subianto. (Photo: ANTARA)

President Prabowo Subianto in 2025 has recorded three policies issued by his assistants in the Red and White Cabinet.

This is referred to as one way to maintain its positive image in public.

Political observer Khairunnisa Lubis assessed that Prabowo was implementing a wave check strategy by using ministers to release controversial policies.

But in the end, the president annulled the policy if it drew criticism from the public so that his image as president of the prorakyat was maintained.

"It's possible that this is done to check the waves against the public's response, as well as personal political branding for President Prabowo himself," he said, Sunday, March 23, 2025.

As is known, after sparking public protests, the government finally revised the policy of delaying the appointment of candidates for state civil servants (CASN) and prospective government employees with a work agreement (PPPK) resulting from the 2024 selection.

Prospective civil servants (CPNS) will be appointed no later than June 2025, while PPPK will be appointed no later than October 2025.

In fact, KemenPAN-RB previously announced that the appointment of CASN 2024 to ASN was held simultaneously on October 1, 2025. The PPPK phase I and phase II were held simultaneously in March 2026.

Last February, Prabowo revoked the policy against retailers selling 3 kilograms of LPG imposed by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), after drawing strong protests from the public.

In early January, the president also revised plans to increase the value added tax rate or VAT from 11 to 12 percent, announcing that the tariff increase would only apply to luxury category goods.

In addition to checking the waves, Khairunnisa's nickname said that Prabowo could also give in because of the pressure from the political elite.

"The style of annuling policies during the Prabowo administration could occur due to political pressure, such as the dynamics of domestic politics, including pressure from political parties, groups of interests, or the public," he added.

Regardless of the reason, according to Nisah, the trend of annulling the ministerial policy that Prabowo took began with the inability of his assistants in translating the president's vision and mission.

So that when they received a strong protest Prabowo had to rush to disallow so as not to damage the government's image. "Actually, it's good to act quickly to annul policies that disturb the lives of many people," he said.

Unfortunately, said Nisah, Prabowo was not brave enough to reshuffle ministers who made wrong policies and troubled the lives of many people.

In fact, the ministers' controversial policies indicate they do not understand Prabowo's vision and mission.

Prabowo should have reshuffled the minister who had clearly made a policy of suffering the people. Only Prabowo apparently was not brave enough because it might be a consideration for support from political parties," he concluded.