Policy Tinkering After Public Resistance, President Not a “Hero”

The government has been in office for less than four months, but at least four strategic policies have already been canceled due to public protests. President Prabowo Subianto has taken the lead in annulling several policies that were designed and implemented by the ministers but did not run smoothly. Advocacy for the people has been the fundamental argument used. However, is that what the people need?

The latest policy that was revoked after four days of implementation was the ban on retailers selling 3-kilogram LPG gas. The regulation, which was initiated by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) on February 1, 2025, was canceled by President Prabowo Subianto on February 4, 2025, following a controversy over the purchase of LPG gas in the community. Long queues in the heat and rain became a common sight from Sabang to Merauke.

The anger of residents due to difficulties in obtaining LPG gas is also unstoppable. Some expressed it directly to the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, while inspecting the queue for purchasing 3-kilogram LPG gas in West Jakarta. Many others expressed their frustration through various satirical images and videos directed at Bahlil and the government, using the symbol of "melon" gas cylinders, which were widely disseminated on social media.

The controversy gradually subsided when the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives from the Gerindra Party faction, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, on Tuesday morning (February 4, 2025), stated that the President had instructed Bahlil to allow retailers to sell 3-kilogram LPG, while arranging the administration to elevate their status to official sub-depots. On Tuesday afternoon, Prabowo also summoned Dasco, Bahlil, and several other ministers to the Presidential Palace.

Even the President invited the 10th and 12th Vice President of Indonesia, Jusuf Kalla, who was the initiator of the 3-kilogram LPG gas subsidy policy during the implementation of the kerosene to gas conversion policy in 2007, to have lunch with him and the ministers. After the meeting, the ministers emphasized that the President had decided to allow retailers to resume selling 3-kilogram LPG gas.

The cancellation of strategic policies that became public controversies has also occurred when the government planned to increase the Value Added Tax (VAT) rate from 11 percent to 12 percent starting January 1, 2025.

Since the plan emerged at least in November 2024, protests have arisen from various groups considering that the plan would be implemented amidst the weakening purchasing power of the community. Rejections have been intensified in various forms, from social media posts, studies by various experts, to student demonstrations. Moreover, there were differences in views among the DPR, the government, and even among the economic ministers of the Kabinet Merah Putih regarding whether the tariff increase would only target luxury goods or apply generally.

The controversy was finally quelled with the President's statement on December 31, 2024, that the VAT increase would only apply to luxury goods. The President also emphasized that this step was not taken spontaneously, but was a follow-up to the provisions in Law Number 7 of 2021 concerning the Harmonization of Tax Regulations (HPP). The law mandates a gradual increase in VAT to avoid burdening the public's purchasing power, control inflation, and maintain economic stability.

Not only that, the government also canceled the plan to cut the budget of the Nusantara Capital Authority (OIKN) in 2025 by IDR 4.8 trillion from the total ceiling of IDR 6 trillion. The cut, which is listed in Presidential Instruction Number 1 of 2025 regarding budget efficiency, has drawn public attention as it raises questions about the government's commitment to continuing the development of the new capital city.

However, said Head of OIKN Basuki Hadimuljono when met at the Presidential Palace, Monday (3/2/2025), Presidential Instruction No. 1/2025 was made by the Minister of Finance before the President made a decision in a limited meeting with related ministries and institutions on January 21 and February 3. In the meeting, the President decided to provide an additional IDR 8 trillion so that this year, the total OIKN budget reaches IDR 14 trillion.

Another thing, the government also canceled the agreement with Commission II of the House of Representatives regarding the schedule for the inauguration of regional heads. Initially, the government and Commission II of the House of Representatives agreed to carry out the inauguration in several waves that would begin on February 6.

However, the decision was criticized by civil society because it was considered contrary to the Constitutional Court (MK) ruling which stated that the inauguration of elected regional heads must be carried out simultaneously. The agreement was dropped by the government on the grounds of adjusting the accelerated election dispute process at the MK. Home Minister Tito Karnavian also said that the President wanted the inauguration of regional heads to be held starting February 20.

Kompas has asked for a response from the Head of the Presidential Communications Office Hasan Nasbi regarding the cancellation of the recurring policy that has become another controversy in the community. However, as of Thursday, Hasan had only read the question submitted via online text message.

Meanwhile, according to Dasco, each minister has the authority to create and implement their own policies. However, when the policy has a negative impact on society, the President is responsible for handling it directly.

"Ministry policies can run independently. However, if it causes an impact like this (the 3-kilogram LPG gas polemic), yes, the President must intervene," said the Daily Chair of the Gerindra Party, the political party led by Prabowo.

Not only are a number of policies considered detrimental to society and contrary to the Constitutional Court's decision, the pattern of public policy-making carried out by the government has also become controversial. On the social media platform X, for example, the account @perupadata, visualizes the flow of policy-making which is divided into at least two categories.

First, if the people do not react to a policy that makes things difficult for the people, or if they do react but can still be suppressed, the government will continue it. Second, when public protests cannot be suppressed, the leader will emerge as a hero who cancels the policy. After that, the government will wait for the people to forget about the policy polemic before continuing the program that was opposed by the public.

As of Thursday (6/2/2025), the upload has been viewed more than 83,500 times. The upload was also liked by 2,700 accounts, and re-shared by more than 1,600 accounts.

Some X users also gave comments with a critical tone, for example, the @jmthm account which said that the current government policy is more suitable to be called a regulation because its purpose is only to regulate but does not contain aspects of wise attitudes. The @Nattallya1112 account also uploaded a meme showing a woman with the text, "Before it's too late, wake up."

Public policy expert from Gadjah Mada University Gabriel Lele sees that Prabowo's leadership is actually gaining good momentum considering that he has strong political support and public acceptance. However, within the government there is still fragmentation that causes Prabowo to always be in two extreme choices, namely government chaos or appearing as a single actor to solve the problem. During the three months of this government, both have occurred, a number of ministers issued controversial policies and then the President appeared alone to fix them.

The President, said Gabriel, should not continue to act as a single actor who solves problems in government. Because, instead of being a hero who is responsive to public needs, it could give rise to the perception that the President cannot control the performance of the ministers. The President who should be assisted by cabinet members actually has to work harder because he is burdened by his ministers.

"The cabinet should consist of all the president's men, but this actually seems to be a burden on the President. The President (is like) not being the host of the party, but rather like the dishwasher at the party," said Gabriel when contacted, Wednesday (2/5/2025).

The appearance of the President to resolve all controversies also indicates that the implemented public policies do not have a basis for adequate risk assessment and management. Therefore, every time the policy faces challenges, the government seems to have no alternative scenarios to implement. Almost all polemic policies will end up being cancelled through the President's discretion.

At the next level, Gabriel said, this condition could have an impact on the decline in the level of public satisfaction with the government. Moreover, the public also tends to be carried away in various conspiratorial discussions on various social media platforms. In fact, referring to the results of a Kompas survey in early January, the level of public satisfaction with Prabowo's government reached 80.9 percent. This achievement has never happened during the leadership of previous presidents.

Therefore, according to Gabriel, in every strategic policy that has the potential to reap high controversy, the President should actually appear first. As head of state and head of government, he must take the role of initiating all steps to be implemented by the ministers and ensuring that everything has been calculated carefully for the benefit of the people.

Because, the President is not a hero who must solve all problems by himself. The President is given a mandate by the people to form all the apparatus to ensure that his work runs optimally for the benefit of the community.