Two years into their five-year mandate, President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka face mounting public dissatisfaction. Widespread protests and falling survey indicators point to deepening frustration over the administration’s performance.

Two years into his presidency, President Prabowo Subianto is pursuing an ambitious agenda of state-led programs, from the free nutritious meal program to the Red and White Cooperatives. But as billions of dollars flow into these flagship initiatives, pressing needs in education, health care and disaster preparedness remain underfunded. The question is no longer whether Prabowo can fulfill his political ambitions, but whether Indonesians can afford the costs of pursuing them.

Last Friday was a Black Friday for Indonesian stocks. A market sell-off wiped out US$65 billion in value and sent the Indonesia Composite Index (IDX) plunging 11.6 percent, its steepest drop since 1998. The market did not crash because corporate fundamentals suddenly weakened, but because investors punished regulators for turning a blind eye to market abuses and acting only after MSCI forced their hand.

As Indonesia continues to grapple with spreading wildfires and recurring haze, scrutiny has increasingly shifted toward corporate culpability, driven by investigative reports linking vast networks of foreign investors and multinational firms to the blazes. With Jakarta’s domestic response perceived as largely muted, neighboring ASEAN member states have begun mounting diplomatic pressure and pursuing independent investigations into the entities allegedly responsible for the transboundary haze choking the region.

Special climate and energy envoy Hashim Djojohadikusumo, President Prabowo Subianto’s younger brother, has revealed a proposal to distribute free smartphones to social assistance (Bansos) recipients, but Coordinating Economy Minister Airlangga Hartarto has denied its existence. The conflicting statements have raised questions about how the initiative came to be announced, particularly as the government pursues a separate program to open bank accounts for 200 million people.

The appointment of Suroso Isnandar as president director of state-owned electricity company PT PLN comes as the government steps up efforts to deliver its ambitious 100 gigawatt-peak (GWp) solar power program. Having previously overseen renewable energy projects at PLN, Suroso is well positioned to lead the initiative. However, delivering the program within its three-year timeline will be challenging, given Indonesia’s structural constraints on integrating variable renewable energy (NRE) into its electricity grid.

Nearly two years into his presidency, President Prabowo Subianto has moved decisively to tighten his grip on Indonesia’s two most powerful security institutions. A series of leadership changes at the National Police (Polri) and the Indonesian Military (TNI) this month have systematically reduced the residual influence of former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s administration, realigning internal loyalties and strengthening presidential authority for the remainder of his term toward the 2029 elections.