Most Indonesians who know about Prabowo's regional budget cuts oppose them

President Prabowo Subianto has quietly changed how money flows between Jakarta and the rest of the country. Through a presidential instruction, his government cut the transfers that the central budget sends to provinces and districts, and moved about Rp270 trillion (around $15 billion) into his own national programs, such as free school meals. These transfers are the money local governments use to run schools, clinics, roads, and other local services. A new survey suggests many voters do not like the change.

The poll, by Indikator Politik in mid-April, asked 7,040 people. Only 28.5% had even heard of the budget cuts, but among those who had, 63.3% were against them. Opposition ran above 80% in several provinces, including Aceh, East Nusa Tenggara, and West Sulawesi. The government says the cuts help fight waste and corruption in the regions, but 67% of aware respondents rejected that reason, and Fulcrum reports that most agreed Jakarta should not simply order local governments to spend less.

The deeper issue is decentralisation, the system built after 1998 that gave regions control over their own budgets and elected leaders. Pulling money back to the center by presidential order weakens that system and the local officials voters chose. The writer warns this could mean worse local services, pressure to raise local taxes and fees, and unhappy regional leaders who start to distance themselves from Prabowo before the 2029 election.

Why it matters

If you rely on a local clinic, school, or road, this is about who funds them and whether that money now shrinks. Watch for higher local fees or slower local projects as districts try to fill the gap. The fight also shapes politics: regional leaders who feel squeezed by Jakarta may push back harder as 2029 gets closer.