Prabowo Subianto's first year in office has been a test of his populist promises, as the Indonesian president faces mounting challenges from food poisonings and protests over rising living costs, corruption, and inequality. His ambitious pledges for dynamic economic growth and major social change have not lived up to expectations, with critics questioning whether the government is delivering on its commitments or straining public resources while racking up debt.
The government's free school meals programme, which aims to tackle child malnutrition and improve education outcomes, has been plagued by food poisonings, with over 9,000 children falling ill since it was rolled out in January. The programme, which costs $28bn annually, has been criticized for its lack of infrastructure for safe and speedy meal delivery, as well as strict food safety standards.
Protests against the rising cost of living, corruption, and inequality have become increasingly common, with demonstrators accusing the government of prioritizing prestige policies and projects over providing economic support. The protests in August left 10 people dead, highlighting the extent of public anger over Prabowo's government.
Despite the challenges, President Prabowo remains optimistic about Indonesia's growth prospects, citing the country's value chain, investment climate, and deregulation efforts. However, economists are warning that falling car sales, shrinking foreign investment, contraction in manufacturing, and reports of layoffs suggest economic activity is weakening, rather than strengthening.
As Indonesia continues to navigate its complex economy and governance challenges, President Prabowo faces a tough test of his leadership. Will he be able to deliver on his populist promises and drive growth, or will the country's unique set of challenges prove too great to overcome?
The government's free school meals programme, which aims to tackle child malnutrition and improve education outcomes, has been plagued by food poisonings, with over 9,000 children falling ill since it was rolled out in January. The programme, which costs $28bn annually, has been criticized for its lack of infrastructure for safe and speedy meal delivery, as well as strict food safety standards.
Protests against the rising cost of living, corruption, and inequality have become increasingly common, with demonstrators accusing the government of prioritizing prestige policies and projects over providing economic support. The protests in August left 10 people dead, highlighting the extent of public anger over Prabowo's government.
Despite the challenges, President Prabowo remains optimistic about Indonesia's growth prospects, citing the country's value chain, investment climate, and deregulation efforts. However, economists are warning that falling car sales, shrinking foreign investment, contraction in manufacturing, and reports of layoffs suggest economic activity is weakening, rather than strengthening.
As Indonesia continues to navigate its complex economy and governance challenges, President Prabowo faces a tough test of his leadership. Will he be able to deliver on his populist promises and drive growth, or will the country's unique set of challenges prove too great to overcome?
... like, think about it, President Prabowo is out there trying to tackle some super tough issues, like food poisonings and protests over living costs. That means he's taking them seriously and not just ignoring them like some other governments have done. And yeah, maybe his promises haven't been entirely met, but that's kinda a normal part of the learning curve right? 
Plus, I still think Indonesia's got so much potential - all those young people and a growing middle class... it's like, they're just waiting for some solid leadership to come along and help them achieve their dreams 
. And hey, even if things don't work out exactly as planned, we can always learn from the mistakes, right? That's what I call progress 
!
it sounds like they're not even doing a good job at ensuring kids are safe while eating. and 9k kids getting sick is just crazy 
i think its time for some serious changes in that program. as for prabowo, i dont know man...his promises seem pretty empty so far 
his govt has been straining resources left and right while trying to deliver on these big changes. its gonna be tough to see how this plays out, but i hope he can turn things around 
.
and 9k kids affected since jan is crazy! 
how did they not have proper infrastructure for safe meals?! 
& whats up with the debt? $28bn annually for a program thats failing so badly?! 
i need to see where that cash is going 
and ppl are right, this gov't seems more concerned with prestige projects than actual economic support 
what's going on with that program?! 
it's supposed to help but now it's causing more problems than solutions... my aunt went through something similar in the Philippines and it was super traumatic for her 
anyway, I guess Prabowo's gotta step up his game if he wants to turn things around for Indonesia 
. Prabowo's first year in office has been a total disaster 
. Food poisonings, protests, and corruption all happening at once is crazy 
. The free school meals programme was supposed to be a game changer, but it's actually a total mess 
. And the protests are getting more intense by the day 
. It's like, how can the government expect people to trust them when they're not even delivering on their promises? 
. 9k kids sick since Jan & it's only been 8 months... how much longer till this is sorted 
. I'm losing faith in Prabowo's ability to deliver on his promises 
. The protests are just getting started & it's only gonna get worse... 
. And the protests are getting more and more intense... I don't know how Prabowo's gonna fix this 
. The economy's not looking good either 
. We need some real solutions from the gov't not just empty promises 
.