The Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS) has released a report evaluating the performance of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration in its first year, with Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Bahlil Lahadalia, receiving the lowest score of -151 points.

Energy observer from Padjadjaran University, Fahmy Radhi, said that Bahlil had made several major mistakes in policy decisions.

“I’m one of those urging a reshuffle for Minister Bahlil. It can’t be fixed anymore; the blunders are too severe. The only solution is replacement,” Fahmy told Katadata.co.id on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.

Fahmy cited three major blunders made by Bahlil.

First was the ban on purchasing subsidized 3-kilogram LPG cylinders from retailers. The policy led to widespread shortages of the “melon gas” and even caused the death of a resident while queueing for LPG. The regulation was later reversed to its original form.

The second mistake involved nickel mining permits in Raja Ampat, West Papua, a world-renowned tourism area. Several mining licenses were issued for the small islands, which Fahmy said should have been prohibited.

“Small islands shouldn’t be mined. This mining license policy (IUP) was eventually revoked by President Prabowo himself,” Fahmy said.

Currently, only one IUP remains active − that of PT Gag Nickel, a subsidiary of State mining company PT Aneka Tambang, which continues nickel production in the region.

The third blunder concerned fuel imports, which were recently centralized under State energy company Pertamina. This policy aimed to address the depletion of import quotas for private gas stations (SPBUs). However, the issue, which has persisted since August, remains unresolved as private operators continue to negotiate with Pertamina.

“This is a serious blunder. If he’s not reshuffled, Bahlil will likely repeat such mistakes, affecting the performance of the Merah Putih Cabinet,” Fahmy warned.

Beyond ministerial evaluations, CELIOS also surveyed public sentiment toward Prabowo’s administration. The survey involved 1,338 respondents and 120 journalists from 60 national media outlets.

The findings show that 72 percent of respondents rated the government’s performance as poor − with 43 percent calling it “bad” and 29 percent “very bad.” In the legal sector, 75 percent of the public believed law enforcement had become weaker, while 43 percent found anti-corruption efforts ineffective. Meanwhile, 84 percent said taxes and other levies were burdensome.

CELIOS Public Policy Director Media Wahyudi Askar described the results as a “red report card” for the administration.

“The government must immediately conduct a cabinet reshuffle and follow the recommendations to improve job creation, control staple food prices, and strengthen social assistance for the middle class,” Askar said.