Rocky Gerung Explains Why He Defends Free Nutritious Meals Programme, Refuses to Equate Criticism of Jokowi with Current Government

Academic Rocky Gerung has become a talking point on social media following his recent stances. Criticism has been directed at him for being biased in his thinking, specifically for being highly critical of former President Joko Widodo’s administration while appearing lenient towards President Prabowo Subianto’s leadership. During a book review of ‘MARHAENISME: Dalil Baru untuk Gen Z’ by Airlangga Pribadi Kusman, broadcast by PDIP Surabaya on 27 June, Gerung addressed these accusations. He recounted questions from journalists and activists asking why he does not criticise Prabowo with the same intensity as he did Jokowi, implying dishonesty. Gerung responded by asking what he should criticise, before pointing out that he has criticised the Prabowo government for wasting money on the Nusantara Capital City (IKN) project and for making him contribute to paying for the Whoosh high-speed rail losses for 170 years. He then questioned who originally initiated these projects, sarcastically highlighting that they were started under Jokowi’s administration. Gerung concluded that the ability to filter such issues has been lost, stating it is impossible for him to criticise Prabowo in the same way he criticised Jokowi.