One Year of Prabowo-Gibran, Observers Say Government Effectively Manages Crisis and Public Aspirations
Jakarta – Khairul Fahmi, Co-Founder of the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS), assesses that the administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has successfully maintained national stability amidst various political, economic, and social dynamics during their first year in office.
“When we talk about peace and security during the Prabowo-Gibran year, we cannot simply look at the presence or absence of unrest. What’s important is how the state is able to manage these dynamics,” said Khairul Fahmi in an interview on Radio Elshinta.
He believes the stability currently maintained is not sterile, but rather well-managed through adaptive policies and open channels for public aspirations.
“The government has been quite capable of responding with measured policy corrections and security measures. The channels for public aspirations have not been closed, which is what keeps the situation under control,” he added.
Highlighting the riots at the end of August, Khairul stated that the incident was a “major alarm” for the government, but it was successfully quelled with swift action.
“We saw that the authorities acted more measuredly and dialogue remained open. That’s what prevented the situation from escalating into a national crisis,” he explained.
Evaluating democracy, Khairul emphasized that public aspiration channels in Indonesia were still functioning well.
“Our democratic channels haven’t been paralyzed. This is what prevents public protests and complaints from automatically turning into public disobedience,” he said.
Regarding defense issues, Khairul appreciated President Prabowo’s commitment to promoting the independence of the national defense industry.
“From the beginning, Mr. Prabowo has encouraged strengthening the domestic defense industry to reduce over-reliance on imports. But the process towards independence is not a sprint, but a marathon,” he said.
He explained that purchasing defense equipment from abroad is still necessary for technology transfer.
“Purchasing defense equipment abroad also has a diplomatic function. We learn, access key technology, and strengthen relations between countries,” he explained.
Nevertheless, Khairul believes the government needs to strengthen public communication so that policies and achievements can be understood by the wider public.
“What needs to be improved is the government’s ability to explain what has been done. Because often what is done doesn’t reach the public,” he said.
As a sign of seriousness, he believes the establishment of the Government Communications Agency (BKP) is an appropriate step to strengthen information coordination at the national level.
Overall, Khairul gave a high rating to the Prabowo-Gibran administration’s first year of performance.
“If I may give a score, I give it an eight out of ten. The government has performed well, although there are still areas that need to be strengthened, especially in public communication and oversight,” he concluded.
