Public Satisfaction, the Government’s Primary Asset

UNTV VIA AP

In this image made from UNTV video, Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia, speaks in a pre-recorded message which was played during the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020, at United Nations headquarters in New York. The U.N.’s first virtual meeting of world leaders started Tuesday with pre-recorded speeches from some of the planet’s biggest powers, kept at home by the coronavirus pandemic that will likely be a dominant theme at their video gathering this year.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The high level of public satisfaction for the administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is a valuable asset for the government to lift the nation out of the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, a number of parties have warned that the government should not become complacent on the current level of high public satisfaction, let alone misuse it.

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Deputy IV of the Office of the Presidential Staff, Juri Ardiantoro, said on Sunday (20/2/2022) that at least two factors had contributed to the increase in public satisfaction seen in the Kompas Research and Development survey conducted at the end of January 2022. In fact, the survey results showed the highest public satisfaction rate compared to previous surveys conducted throughout the Jokowi administration.

First were the government’s appropriate measures to overcome the pandemic and its impacts. Second was the President’s consistent effort to fulfill the government’s vision and mission, including in equitable development and human resource development. The pandemic was a heavy blow to the nation, but the government had managed to take the right steps to get out of the crisis and to realize its visions and missions.

"The President and Vice President want to take advantage of the time that remains until October 2024 to not stop here, but to work further to allow this nation to take off," he said.

RADITYA HELABUMI

Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud M.D

Other contributors to the high level of public satisfaction included the people’s high appreciation for the government’s performance in political and security affairs and law enforcement. Regarding this, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud M.D. said on Friday (18/2) that the high rate of public satisfaction was sociopolitical capital for the government to further promote the country’s democracy.

According to Mahfud, high public satisfaction in the political and security sectors was due to the implementation of various government policies in maintaining social dynamics in a democratic state. Public satisfaction in law enforcement was also high because of increased efforts to impose restorative justice and settle old legal cases, such as the Bank Indonesia Liquidity Support (BLBI) case, he said.

"[These] Steps have been good and will be improved further," he said.

The government's commitment to using the high level of public satisfaction as social capital to overcome the nation’s various problems is in line with the expectations of a number of political parties.

KOMPAS/PRADIPTA PANDU

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) secretary Hasto Kristiyanto.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) secretary Hasto Kristiyanto said the high level of public satisfaction should be used as an opportunity to resolve the various problems that had been caused by the pandemic.

Government tasks

Meanwhile, Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) deputy secretary Ahmad Fathul Bari called on the government to step up its efforts in promoting democratization and law enforcement, which had recently gained the public spotlight. According to him, one measure was to make a new law. He also hoped that despite the high level of public satisfaction, the government would continue to involve the public, such as in drafting regulations.

"The Constitutional Court's decision as regards the Job Creation Law should be [an occasion for] self-reflection," said Bari.

In late November, the Constitutional Court conditionally ruled that the Job Creation Law was unconstitutional because the legislative process did not involve public participation.

As such, it was important for the government to duplicate and implement for all its activities those policy models that had received high public appreciation.

A number of academics also urge the government to not become complacent. According to Gabriel Lele, a public administration and policy lecturer at Gadjah Mada University, in a democratic country, public satisfaction in a government that had broad political support could in fact reach 80 percent. As such, it was important for the government to duplicate and implement for all its activities those policy models that had received high public appreciation.

Sociologist Arie Sujito from Gadjah Mada University said that although the steps the government had taken to overcome the pandemic and its impacts had contributed greatly to the high rate of public satisfaction, the government should also prioritize the other issues under public scrutiny. The high level of public satisfaction should be used to make sociopolitical stability more meaningful, especially in improving the quality of democracy. (INA/REK/DEA/SYA)

(This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi).