Demonstrations that were sparked by low wages, unemployment and anger over lawmakers' lavish perks grew after footage spread of a paramilitary police vehicle running over a delivery motorcycle driver.
He vowed tough action on the officers who ran over 21-year-old Affan Kurniawan, backtracked on lawmaker housing allowances, and on Monday removed five ministers, including respected finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.
Prabowo has focused on expensive social mega-projects funded by widespread budget cuts that already roused protests in February. His flagship policies include a free meal programme and a new sovereign wealth fund.
“Prabowo sees this problem as something that needs to be anticipated seriously,“ said Airlangga Pribadi Kusman, political analyst at Airlangga University.
Consolidating power
But the protests turned increasingly angry against the country's political elite, with mobs burning buildings and looting politicians' homes.
Yet the Indonesian leader has used the reshuffle to replace officials linked to popular predecessor Joko Widodo, more commonly known as Jokowi, with his own people.
“Prabowo is using the moment to slowly consolidate his political power by erasing Jokowi’s influence,“ said Virdika Rizky Utama, a political researcher at think tank PARA Syndicate.
The presidential palace did not respond to an AFP comment request.
“What we need is the determination from the president, a political will, and real progress,“ said Airlangga.
But in installing loyalists to oversee budget and security, Prabowo appears to be trying to uphold his flagship programmes, rather than change course.
“Prabowo will be more comfortable moving forward if his flagship programmes are handled by trusted figures.”
While Sri Mulyani had stints at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, Purbaya is a relatively unknown finance professional who immediately lauded Prabowo's ambitious growth goal of eight percent annually as achievable.
Some say Prabowo should change course on his social projects as the country grapples with stagnant wages and rising unemployment.
The conciliatory moves and a call for calm appear to have bought Prabowo time.
“This will be a time bomb,“ said Virdika. “If things pile up, it will blow up.”- AFP
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