INDOPOSCO.ID – A public approval rating of 65.2 percent offers a boost to President Prabowo Subianto’s administration as it pursues reforms. However, the figure is not considered sufficient reason for the government to become complacent as it approaches its third year in office.
Political analyst and Paramadina University academic Hendri Satrio said an approval rating above 60 percent indicates a stronger position compared with several previous survey results.
“That’s good, hehehe. There have indeed been several changes, and an approval rating in the 60-percent range is certainly much better than the results reported by other polling organizations. This is also a positive signal for a government that is working to improve itself,” said Hendri, popularly known as Hensa, in a phone interview on Monday (October 19, 2026).
Nevertheless, Hensa cautioned that after two years in office, an approval rating in the 60-percent range still leaves considerable work to be done. As the administration enters its third year after October 20, the government needs to demonstrate more tangible improvements in its performance.
“An approval rating in the 60-percent range after two years in office is certainly not enough for the government to be fully satisfied with its performance. After October 20, the government should make further improvements as it enters its third year,” he said.
The same survey found that public trust in the government stood at 67 percent, higher than its approval rating. Hensa said the gap indicates that the public is still giving the administration an opportunity to demonstrate results.
“Public trust at 67 percent is slightly higher than the approval rating. This means people still have hopes for the government and are giving it a chance. That trust must be repaid with concrete action in the third year of the administration and must not be squandered,” Hensa said.
He welcomed the policy changes and cabinet reshuffle undertaken by the government. However, he stressed that these reforms must be followed by concrete action, particularly in fighting corruption, tackling forest and land fires, and implementing the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program.
“The changes introduced by the government deserve recognition. However, several areas still need improvement, including anti-corruption efforts, the handling of forest and land fires, and the Free Nutritious Meals program, which should have zero cases of food poisoning,” he explained.
The MBG program, which began operating on January 6, 2025, has repeatedly been marred by food poisoning cases involving beneficiaries in several regions. Hensa emphasized that beneficiary safety must be treated as a serious priority to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
He also expressed hope that the upward trend in public approval compared with previous surveys could be sustained.
“This is the latest survey result, right? Previously, the figures were consistently below 50 percent. Hopefully, this means the government’s performance is indeed improving and will continue to get better,” Hensa said.
Beyond government performance, Hensa highlighted concerns over young Indonesians’ pride in their national identity. Citing a survey on Indonesian youth conducted by the KedaiKOPI Survey Institute and released in stages, he said a significant proportion of young people still do not feel proud to be Indonesian.
“There is an important issue the government needs to address immediately. According to a KedaiKOPI Survey Institute survey on Indonesian youth, only 81.5 percent are proud to be Indonesian. This means around 18.5 percent do not feel proud of their Indonesian national identity,” said Hensa, author of the book Riah Riuh Komunikasi.
According to Hensa, the finding should not be taken lightly. The government needs to develop programs that strengthen young people’s sense of belonging and pride in Indonesia.
“The government needs to introduce programs that can strengthen young people’s pride in being Indonesian. If applied to the country’s current youth population, that 18.5 percent represents tens of millions of young people,” he stressed. (her)
