But another study by the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) showed quite the opposite, giving Prabowo a score of 5 out of 10 and his Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka a lowly 3.

While the discrepancy is not up for debate as Kompas and Celios adopted different methods, we cannot deny the fact that the first three months of the Prabowo administration have not been free from controversy, which is not an ideal start for a new government and may stand between it and its goals.

Prabowo already sparked a polemic early on by forming a large cabinet comprising politicians from all but one party that are seated in the House of Representatives, allies and volunteers.

With 48 ministers, seven ministerial-level officials and 56 deputy ministers, the Red and White Cabinet boasts diversity but poses risks of inefficiency, overlapping authorities and conflicting interests.

Coordination has proven to be a challenge, although Prabowo gathered his cabinet members for a retreat at a military academy to instill discipline and a sense of unity. The recent sea fence fiasco indicates poor coordination, or the absence thereof, among cabinet members. President Prabowo eventually ordered the dismantling of the 30-kilometer bamboo fence in the waters of Tangerang, Banten, although this did not completely remove suspicion that the structure was related to a future reclamation project.

Government officials also conveyed a confusing array of messages regarding a far-reaching plan to increase the value-added tax (VAT) to 12 percent, a mandate imposed by law, before the President retracted the proposal just hours before the scheduled rise on Jan. 1, implementing the VAT increase exclusively on luxury goods.

Furthermore, the problem of coordination within the cabinet, apart from budget constraints, is behind the hiccups in the execution of the ongoing free nutritious meals program, which aims to benefit 82 million children, pregnant mothers and toddlers in the coming five years. The flagship program of President Prabowo involves the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), the Agriculture Ministry, National Food Agency and State Logistics Agency (Bulog), with full support from the Indonesian Military (TNI), but it has not got off to a flying start.

The difficulties in overseeing the program were evident when 40 pupils in a state elementary school in Sukoharjo, Central Java, received medical treatment for food poisoning after consuming their meals in mid-January. Prabowo immediately instructed BGN chief Dadan Hindayana to address the issue. However, despite the quick response, this incident highlights a significant loophole in the program's implementation.

Prabowo’s rainbow cabinet has also been hobbled by the characters of some of its members, which may suggest that the President has not placed the right men in the right positions.

Shortly after his appointment as the village and regional development minister, Yandri Susanto used his ministry letterhead in a private invitation to a family event. He later apologized, after a reprimand from Prabowo through the cabinet secretary.

Cooperatives Minister Budi Ari Setiadi was also embroiled in a controversy after he was linked to the online gambling scandal plaguing the Information and Digital Ministry, which he led during the previous administration.

In another controversy, the special presidential envoy for religious development, Miftah Maulana Habiburrahman, resigned after mocking an iced tea vendor at a religious gathering.

And most recently, Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Satryo Brodjonegoro faced a vote of no confidence from hundreds of ministry employees, who last week staged a protest against his leadership style.

We cannot expect the government to impress us after only 100 days, especially since most of the cabinet members are still learning the ropes. But their failure to respond to public grievances and criticism is the last thing we want to see.