Indonesia’s Prabowo swears in Cabinet of over 100 ministers, deputies

JAKARTA – Indonesia’s newly minted leader, President Prabowo Subianto, officially swore in his Cabinet on Oct 21, a team which analysts said reflected continuity of his predecessor’s main policies.

Mr Prabowo took office on Oct 20 as the eighth Indonesian president, taking the mantle from Mr Joko Widodo.

In a fiery speech to lawmakers, he promised to eradicate corruption and aim to reach self-sufficiency in food and energy.

Mr Prabowo’s so-called “red and white” Cabinet has 48 ministries with more than 100 ministers and deputies, including reappointments of Dr Sri Mulyani Indrawati as Finance Minister and Mr Bahlil Lahadalia as Energy Minister.

Dr Sri Mulyani will preside over Mr Prabowo’s main programmes, including giving free meals to about 20 million children which could cost the state Budget 71 trillion rupiah (S$6.01 billion) in the first year, a number intended to keep the annual fiscal deficit under a legislated ceiling of 3 per cent of gross domestic product.

A former World Bank managing director, Dr Sri Mulyani has earned plaudits for reforming the taxation system while working under two presidents before Mr Prabowo.

She did not answer questions on her future fiscal policies on Oct 21 and merely told reporters she was “ready for duty”.

Investors fear Mr Prabowo’s huge spending plans might derail its track record of fiscal prudence in South-east Asia’s largest economy.

Other key reappointments include Chief Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto and Mr Erick Thohir as the State-owned Enterprises Minister.

Ms Meutya Hafid, a former reporter who will head up the newly renamed Communications and Digital Ministry, said she would focus on data protection, online safety for children and make sure the internet is accessible to all.

Investment Minister Rosan Roeslani said his focus was on expanding Mr Widodo’s policy of increasing domestic resource processing to include fisheries and seaweed.

Mr Prabowo’s reappointments show his intention to continue the policies of Mr Widodo – popularly known as Jokowi – especially on the economy, said analyst Burhanuddin Muhtadi.

“Prabowo does not want to take further risks and that’s why he chose key figures that served under Jokowi,” he said, adding that these appointments give Mr Prabowo some political security.

Indonesia’s new Foreign Minister is Mr Sugiono, the deputy of the parliamentary commission overseeing foreign policy.

Mr Zulkifli Hasan, the minister overseeing food supply, said he would expand farming in Indonesia’s easternmost Papua region to reach Mr Prabowo’s target of food self-sufficiency.

Mr Luhut Pandjaitan, Mr Widodo’s senior minister who spearheaded Indonesia’s mineral processing industry, has been named the head of the country’s National Economic Council, which advises the president.

Mr Prabowo’s Cabinet differs in some aspects from Mr Widodo’s as some ministries have been broken up or renamed.

Education and culture ministries are separate, as well as environment and forestry.

Ahead of the swearing in, Mr Prabowo held a meeting with China’s visiting Vice-President Han Zheng, according to a post on his official social media platform X and China’s foreign ministry. REUTERS