LAB45: Government Public Communications Frequently Misfire in Prabowo's First Year

October 22, 2025 | 06:45 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The research agency, Laboratorium Indonesia 2045 (LAB45), noted that during the first year of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's administration, they frequently made public statements that were considered blunders. LAB45's Senior Analyst, Diyauddin, stated that although several surveys showed that public satisfaction with the Prabowo administration remained relatively high, this satisfaction did not directly reflect the challenges faced by the government's public communication.

During the Prabowo-Gibran administration's first year, LAB45 classified various blundered communications into three main categories: blunders in policy and personal matters, blunders based on specific issues, and blunders related to the government's priority programs.

Diyauddin explained that policy blunders are mistakes in articulating government policies, while personal blunders are communication errors made by officials outside the policy context, such as in social or other political issues. "Since Prabowo-Gibran took office, government blunders in policy articulation have appeared to be more prominent compared to other categories," he said.

LAB45 recorded 81 cases of policy blunders and 70 blunders committed by the Prabowo administration in the past year. Politics was the most frequently considered blundered topic with 65 cases, while the free nutritious meals program also often encountered blunders with 11 cases.

Diyauddin provided examples of blunders that caused a stir, such as the hashtags #KaburajaDulu (#JustRunAwayFirst), #IndonesiaGelap (#DarkIndonesia), and the 12 percent Value Added Tax (VAT). Additionally, there were mistakes related to the restrictions on selling 3-kilogram LPG canisters. Prabowo reversed these restrictions later. Furthermore, some statements hurt the feelings of civilian society and the victims of the 1998 crisis, as well as a statement by the Presidential Communication Director (PCO) regarding the pig's head terror against Tempo's editorial team.

According to Diyauddin, policy articulation blunders indicate that the implementation of government policies does not always proceed smoothly. President Prabowo Subianto often directly intervenes to cancel or revise several policies previously devised and executed by his ministers.

On the other hand, Diyauddin emphasized that the blunders of public officials also require serious attention. The frequency of these blunders is almost equivalent, and both have the potential to generate controversy in the public sphere. Blunders by public officials occur when their statements do not align with their roles and duties. "The public communication of state administrators still causes polemics that elicit unempathetic responses amidst societal crises," he stated.

The communication patterns of some officials still demonstrate elitist tendencies in responding to issues and public criticisms. Simultaneously, the government also appears to lack a well-coordinated and trained communication team.

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