Five-Year Contract and Its Collector

IN recent weeks, the public has been presented with two statements from two presidents pointing in a similar direction.

President Prabowo Subianto lamented the barrage of criticism and suspected that there were parties from within his administration sabotaging his flagship programs.

The 7th President Joko Widodo remarked on political maneuvers and covert actors riding the wave of controversy over his and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka's educational credentials.

What astonished the public was not merely the content of these statements, but who made them.

At least three reasons underscore why both statements captured attention.

First, both were uttered by individuals who hold significant keys to state information and apparatus.

If they know who the culprits are, the public understandably questions why no action has been taken. If they do not know, it implies realms of power are beyond their control.

Second, both leaders adopted a similar pattern, pointing to unnamed individuals, thereby shifting the burden of proof from the leaders to faceless entities.

Third, these statements emerged precisely when substantive issues remained inadequately addressed, thus easily interpreted as attempts to deflect responsibility.

Contract with Clear Accountability

The Prabowo-Gibran administration has just completed two years since their inauguration on October 20, 2024.

They began with a significant electoral mandate and a coalition nearly devoid of opposition in Parliament.

The Free Nutritious Food program became the most powerful symbol, followed by the Red and White Village Cooperatives and People's Schools.

However, the substantial budget allocations raised questions about targeting accuracy and fiscal health.

Students even demanded the termination of the Free Nutritious Food program and the Red and White Village Cooperatives, as they were deemed burdens on the state budget (Kompas TV, 13/6/2026).

The President acknowledged that the program still harbors numerous issues and promised to dismiss any officials found to be embezzling funds.