*High public satisfaction at the start of a term is one thing, but unemployment, inequality, and flooding are tests that cannot be answered by image alone.*
JAKARTA, JurnalPost.com — There are two ways to lead a city of over ten million people. First, by turning the office into a stage, where every policy is wrapped in jargon and popularity is managed like a social media account. Second, by treating leadership as a grueling administrative job that rarely sees the camera's spotlight, from dredging canals and managing budgets to negotiating land acquisition.
Pramono Anung, who has served as Governor of Jakarta since February 20, 2025, appears to prefer the second approach.
His background helps explain this choice. For nine years, Pramono served as Cabinet Secretary from 2015–2024, a position where most of the work took place behind the scenes. Previously, he also spent about 15 years active in the House of Representatives (DPR).
However, his extensive experience and low-profile leadership style still need to be tested through tangible results.
The question is, can this quiet leadership style produce measurable change for Jakarta, or will it simply remain a positive image for a regional head?
A Strong Image, Awaiting Proof
At the beginning of his term, Pramono held a significant amount of public trust.
An Ethical Politics survey of 1,280 respondents recorded a public satisfaction rate of 77.73 percent regarding his first 100 days in office.
Meanwhile, a Litbang Kompas survey in June 2025 of 400 respondents showed a more moderate satisfaction figure of 64.5 percent. Nevertheless, Pramono's personal image was rated positively by 88.4 percent of respondents.
The discrepancy between these figures reveals something interesting. The public tends to have a positive assessment of Pramono as a figure, but the level of satisfaction with his government's results is not necessarily as high as the assessment of his personal image.
In other words, the public can like their leader without necessarily believing all of their policies are successful.
Pramono himself has stated that survey results are a reference, not the ultimate goal of his administration.
This statement is commendable. However, if surveys are not the primary metric, the success of his leadership must be proven through more concrete indicators.
There are at least five areas that can be used to test the performance of the Jakarta Provincial Government.
Five Tests, Five Figures
1. Economic Growth, but Not Yet Equitable
Jakarta's economy grew by 5.59 percent in the first quarter of 2026, nearly matching the national economic growth of 5.61 percent.
In April 2026, Jakarta's inflation was recorded at 2.12 percent, while the Human Development Index (HDI) reached 85.05, making it the highest in Indonesia.
These figures show that Jakarta still has a strong economic foundation.
However, economic growth does not automatically mean that prosperity is being felt equitably.
Jakarta's Gini ratio, which is in the 0.44 range, indicates that income distribution inequality remains a serious issue.
The largest contribution to economic growth came from the trade sector, at about 1.06 percentage points, and the information and communication sector at 0.88 percentage points.
Indef Executive Director Esther Sri Astuti believes that economic growth heavily supported by the non-tradable sector does not necessarily produce a strong multiplier effect on public welfare.
This view confirms that economic success is not sufficiently measured by how fast growth rates increase, but also by how widely the benefits are felt by the community.
2. Poverty is Decreasing, but the Numbers Remain High
Based on September 2025 data, the number of poor people in Jakarta was recorded at 439.12 thousand, or about 4.03 percent of the total population.
This figure is a decrease of 25.75 thousand people compared to March 2025.
This decline is a positive development, but it cannot be used as the sole indicator of successful poverty alleviation.
Several residents interviewed by the author acknowledged that social assistance helps ease household needs. However, they also noted that improvements in economic conditions have not been fully supported by sustainable income growth.
This condition becomes increasingly important when the public's purchasing power is under pressure and layoffs remain an issue.
Therefore, the government's challenge is not just to reduce the number of poor people through short-term aid, but to ensure that the community is able to increase their income independently.
The real test is to ensure that poverty rates do not rise again when social assistance is reduced or stopped.
3. Unemployment Remains the Most Difficult Homework
Jakarta's Open Unemployment Rate (TPT) in February 2026 was recorded at 6.03 percent.
This figure is still above the national average of 4.74 percent.
This condition presents a contradiction for Jakarta as the center of economic activity and national money circulation.
The scale of business activity has not yet been fully able to provide adequate job opportunities for the entire workforce.
Celios assesses that the increase in the proportion of full-time workers, which was only 0.03 percentage points, does not reflect a meaningful improvement in the quality of employment.
On the other hand, Rosan Roeslani stated that future fiscal incentives will be directed toward prioritizing labor-intensive sectors.
For Jakarta, such policies need to be translated into the creation of real jobs, especially for the productive age group.
Investment growth should not only be assessed based on the value of incoming capital, but also on its ability to absorb labor and improve job quality.
4. Education is One of the Most Concrete Interventions
In the education sector, the Jakarta Provincial Government is implementing an expansion of the free private school program.
Through Governor's Decree Number 312 of 2025, the program's coverage was expanded from 40 to 103 schools, with a budget allocation reaching Rp253.6 billion.
This policy provides an opportunity for families facing economic limitations to gain access to education without being burdened by certain school fees.
Pramono also warned schools receiving the program not to collect additional fees that contradict the regulations.
However, the success of education policy is not determined solely by the number of participating schools or the size of the budget.
Supervision remains an important factor, from auditing fund usage and applying sanctions for violations to providing complaint channels for parents.
Pramono also acknowledged that adding schools to the program requires discussion and joint decisions with the Regional House of Representatives (DPRD).
This recognition of the limits of authority is an important part of realistic leadership.
5. Transportation Reaches 93 Percent, but is Not Yet Fully Inclusive
Jakarta's public transport connectivity coverage is said to have reached 93 percent.
However, in June 2026, Pramono admitted that this achievement did not satisfy him, especially in terms of accessibility for people with disabilities and the elderly.
Improvements are being directed at a number of stations with high passenger volumes through the provision of facilities such as elevators, tactile paving, and ramps.
This step shows that transportation development is not enough just by connecting one area to another.
The transportation system must also ensure that all groups of society can use it safely, comfortably, and equally.
Acknowledging shortcomings when connectivity figures have already reached 93 percent is an attitude worth noting.
However, this acknowledgment must still be followed by improvements that can be felt directly by public transport users.
The Other Side That Must Be Noted
Behind these achievements, criticism of Pramono's administration still needs attention.
One of the most prominent issues is flood management, an annual Jakarta problem that has not been fully resolved.
Jakarta DPRD member from the PSI faction, August Hamonangan, assessed that flood management has not shown sufficient seriousness.
He highlighted the budget allocation of Rp5.4 trillion, consisting of Rp2.6 trillion in the 2025 Revised Regional Budget (APBD) and Rp2.8 trillion in the 2026 APBD.
The size of this budget is considered to have not provided a significant impact, especially after major floods hit several areas of Jakarta in early May 2026.
Criticism also came from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH) and WALHI, which assessed that the flood management approach still tends to repeat old patterns.
Both organizations are pushing for spatial planning improvements and the restoration of river basins as part of a more fundamental solution to the flooding problem.
Up to the period discussed in this article, these demands have not resulted in a revision of the regional regulation on spatial planning.
The government's steps still appear focused on river normalization, dredging, pump operation, and the construction and management of reservoirs.
These technical efforts are indeed necessary, but Jakarta's flooding problem cannot be separated from changes in land use, the reduction of catchment areas, and the condition of river basins.
Meanwhile, the PKB faction of the Jakarta DPRD reminded that claims of high program achievements, including the 97 percent realization of quick winsprograms, have the potential to create misleading perceptions if not accompanied by the resolution of structural issues.
The Ethical Politics survey also noted budget transparency as an aspect that needs improvement. Additionally, a number of government programs were found to not be widely known by the public.
This criticism shows that administrative achievements are not necessarily in line with the impact of policies on the ground.
Four Lessons in Leadership
From Pramono's leadership pattern, there are four lessons that can be drawn.
First, the courage to make decisions that are not always popular.
The normalization of the Ciliwung, Krukut, and Cakung Lama rivers are examples of work that has social consequences because it relates to area management and resident relocation.
In the author's observation, a resident of a low-cost apartment named Eka Pramana admitted to feeling more comfortable and safe in their residence. However, they noted that environmental cleanliness still requires attention.
This experience shows that the success of relocation is not determined only by the availability of housing, but also by the quality of the environment and the comfort of residents' lives after being moved.
Second, the ability to accept criticism as part of government evaluation.
Pramono once stated that he actually wants to receive criticism. This attitude is important because public criticism can be a means of identifying policy weaknesses.
However, openness to criticism only has meaning if it is followed by corrective action.
Third, honesty in acknowledging the limits of authority.
Not all city problems can be solved through the governor's decisions alone. Some policies require the support of the DPRD, the central government, relevant institutions, and public participation.
Fourth, the ability to build collaboration in government administration.
Environmental security issues, for example, still rely heavily on the vigilance of residents at the RT and RW levels and communication via WhatsApp groups.
Citizen participation is indeed important, but city security management also requires a more structured system.
This is where the paradox of leadership that avoids the spotlight emerges.
A good program will not provide maximum benefits if the public does not know of its existence.
Educational assistance that is not well-socialized can result in eligible residents failing to access it. The same applies to public services that are actually available but are not well-known by the target groups.
Therefore, avoiding excessive image-building should not be equated with ignoring public communication.
Anti-gimmick is a positive value in leadership, but anti-communication can actually be a weakness.
The two look similar, yet they have very different consequences.
The Real Measure
Jakarta has the ambition to become one of the top 50 global cities.
However, that ambition will not be realized through leadership image, political popularity, or program achievement reports alone.
A more important measure is the change that is truly felt by the community.
Can the unemployment rate of 6.03 percent be pushed down to approach the national average?
Can the number of poor people, which still reaches about 439 thousand, continue to decrease without dependence on social assistance?
Can the Gini ratio of 0.44 be lowered so that Jakarta's economic growth becomes more equitable?
And no less important, is the flood management budget of Rp5.4 trillion capable of reducing the area, frequency, and duration of flooding, rather than just producing activity reports that look increasingly tidy?
These questions need to be answered through measurable policy results, not just statements or program realization figures.
A calm and low-profile leadership style can be a strength if accompanied by firmness in decision-making and consistency in policy implementation.
Conversely, an attitude that relies too much on the impression of simplicity and working in silence also risks losing its meaning if it does not produce real change.
Quiet resolve is only valuable when that silence produces something.
Pramono Anung has built an impression as a leader who prefers to work rather than appear on stage. However, when a leader refuses to be judged by what is visible, they simultaneously open the space to be judged by what has truly changed.
That is a tougher standard of leadership, but also a more honest one.
Data Notes: Data on economic growth, poverty, and employment refer to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). Survey data is sourced from Ethical Politics and Litbang Kompas. Information regarding the budget and education programs refers to the DKI Jakarta APBD and DKI Jakarta Governor's Decree Number 312 of 2025.
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