Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has achieved a landmark approval rating within his first 100 days in office, setting a new record for a new administration and surpassing the ratings of

his predecessor, Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

A nationwide survey conducted by Litbang Kompas from January 4 to January 10 revealed that Prabowo’s approval rating stood at an impressive 80.9%. The former military general’s popularity has exceeded the levels Jokowi enjoyed during the same period of his presidency.

Support for Prabowo is particularly strong among lower-income groups, with 84.7% of respondents expressing satisfaction with his leadership and populist policies. These include scaling back a planned value-added tax increase and forgiving approximately US$550 million (RM2.47 billion) in small business debts at the end of last year. His introduction of a free lunch program and expanded social aid also garnered praise, although nearly 30% of respondents expressed concerns about uneven or misdirected distribution of these benefits.

While earning domestic acclaim, the 73-year-old leader is also strengthening Indonesia’s international standing. After recent visits to the US and China, Prabowo is set to visit India to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following Indonesia’s inclusion as the newest member of the BRICS group of emerging economies.

Prabowo campaigned on a pro-business platform, vowing to continue Jokowi’s policies to attract investment and accelerate economic growth in Southeast Asia’s largest economy. His administration aims to achieve an ambitious growth target of 8% during his five-year term.

However, sustaining this momentum will require careful fiscal management. While Prabowo’s free lunch program is popular, its estimated cost of US$6 billion this year could strain the national budget and potentially deter investor confidence in one of Asia’s key emerging markets. Furthermore, 32% of survey respondents remain sceptical about the administration’s ability to boost state revenues effectively.

Politically, Prabowo enjoys a strong position, with his coalition controlling approximately 80% of the seats in the national Parliament. This dominance allows for rapid legislative action, and the Litbang Kompas survey shows little political opposition at present.

Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has also seen a surge in popularity, with his approval rating climbing to 79.9%, up from 71.1% in September. This figure even surpasses the 65.1% rating Jokowi received during his first 100 days in office in 2015.

The Litbang Kompas survey sampled 1,000 respondents across 38 provinces and has a margin of error of 3.1%. Photo by U.S. Secretary of Defense, Wikimedia commons.