Growing public distrust towards the Indonesian Government for lack of response to COVID-19 outbreak

Abstract

This research analyzes the growing public distrust towards the Indonesian Government expressed on social media platforms during the COVID-19 outbreak. It aims to answer (1) why has there been a growth of disappointment among citizens towards both the central Government and the local Government during the COVID-19 outbreak; (2) what facts and factors are objectively considered sufficient to underlie the expression of “disappointment” that arises in the public domain; and (3) how can the Indonesian Government regain public trust during this Pandemic. This study uses the transformative concurrent mixed methods design and utilizes the Disappointment Theory and the Belief Theory. The results show that the Indonesian Government tried to overcome public distrust by increasing essential indicators: benevolence, reliability, competence, honesty, and openness. These five indicators were maximized in several government policies through the Covid-19 Task Force formation in Indonesia. It is then concluded that the Indonesian Government’s policies and protocols during the COVID-19 had been deemed ineffective in meeting society’s needs, resulting in significant economic loss and a rapid increase in the death rate. To regain public trust, the Government must increase the quality of its public relations and publish data that can be held accountable.