The Source of the Problem Is Prabowo

4 hours ago 3

August 5, 2026 | 03:59 pm

Saiful Mujani. Antara/Melalusa Susthira K.

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The two-story white building on Jalan Teuku Cik Ditiro II in Menteng, Central Jakarta, has housed the offices of Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting (SMRC) since 2019. The sound of commuter trains and the bells of starling vendors—mobile coffee sellers jokingly dubbed "roving Starbucks"—can be heard inside the house. Its owner, Saiful Mujani, said he had long grown accustomed to the noise.

In mid-April 2026, the office was besieged by protesters for three days. The incident stemmed from remarks Saiful made during an event at the Utan Kayu Community in East Jakarta, where he said that removing President Prabowo Subianto from office could save Indonesia. "They're no longer protesting here now. Maybe they've gotten bored," Saiful said on Thursday, July 30, 2026.

Three months after the siege, SMRC released a survey showing that public satisfaction-or the government's approval rating-under Prabowo had fallen to just 51.1 percent, down sharply from 81.5 percent in November 2025. His electability also plunged to 14.5 percent, trailing far behind West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi, who scored 35 percent.

The political science professor at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University Jakarta said Prabowo would most likely lose if he faced Dedi head-to-head. Other potential contenders, including Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka and former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, would also have a chance of defeating the incumbent.

Read the Complete Story in Tempo English Magazine

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