Indonesia’s Jokowi ‘strong enough to absorb the shocks’ of massive fuel price protests, analysts say

A fuel price increase unveiled by Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Saturday has sparked anger on the streets of Southeast Asia’s largest economy

Violent protests stymied his predecessors’ attempts to cut fuel subsidies, but Jokowi looks better placed to ride out the uproar relatively unscathed

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Labourers shout slogans during a protest in Jakarta on Tuesday against Indonesia’s recent fuel price increase. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 7:00pm, 7 Sep 2022

Thousands of people joined protests across Indonesia this week against a fuel price increase but even as anger mounts on the streets of Southeast Asia’s largest economy, analysts say President Joko Widodo is well placed to weather the storm.

Under pressure to address a ballooning energy subsidy budget the president, popularly known as “Jokowi”, announced on Saturday that fuel prices would be increased by about 30 per cent, the first such increase since 2014.

Attempts by his predecessor to cut fuel subsidies were stymied by violent protests but with a commanding approval rating and a broad coalition supporting him, Jokowi is set to ride out the uproar relatively unscathed, and even position himself as a kingmaker for a 2024 election, analysts say.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, wearing a traditional outfit, delivers his annual state-of-the-nation speech last month. Photo: EPA-EFE

“His political capital is strong enough to absorb the short-term shocks,” said Sirojudin Abbas, executive director at pollster Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting.

“Protests will dissipate easily because Jokowi’s team has managed the conditions quite well.”

Data from the pollster showed the approval rating for Jokowi, now well into the second of the two terms the constitution allows, is above 70 per cent, while his coalition controls almost 82 per cent of seats in parliament.

“Jokowi is certainly bucking the trend of ‘lame duck’ presidency,” said Kennedy Muslim, an analyst from pollster Indikator Politik.