After the official inauguration the previous day, 109 cabinet members, including ministers, were appointed.
The Associated Press reported on the 21st that Indonesia‘s new President Prabowo Subianto announced Indonesia’s largest cabinet consisting of 109 members.
The newly inaugurated President Subianto announced the largest cabinet ever in Indonesia late the day before, and the 109 members represent Subianto’s pledge to a strong government.
President Subianto named his cabinet, which consists of ministers, deputy ministers, and heads of state agencies, the “Red and White Cabinet,” referring to the colors of the Indonesian flag.
President Subianto was officially inaugurated the day before as the eighth president of Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia.
The cabinet of Subianto’s predecessor, Joko Widodo, had 34 ministers and heads of government agencies.
President Subianto has previously said he needs a strong executive branch, despite analysts saying his ‘bloated’ cabinet would bloat the bureaucracy.
“I want to create a strong government that will unite our multicultural society and diverse political interests,” Subianto said last week before inviting more than 100 people for an interview at his official residence. He said of the new cabinet, “It should be a grand coalition, and some people will say my cabinet is bloated.”
Subianto’s cabinet includes politicians from the seven-party coalition that supported his victory in this February’s election, as well as figures allied with Widodo’s cabinet, who have been reappointed to continue serving during Subianto’s term.
Analysts said the move was political compensation to former President Widodo for his tacit support in the election, AP reported.
Subianto chose Widodo’s son, Gibran Rakabooming Raca, as his vice-presidential running mate, and Widodo preferred Subianto as his successor as president over his former party’s candidate.
Subianto was Widodo’s longtime rival, and Widodo ran for president twice, in 2014 and 2019, and was elected both times.
However, after re-election, Widodo appointed Subianto as defense minister, paving the way for a coalition government despite the rival parties. During the election campaign, Subianto pledged to run as the successor to popular President Widodo and continue his signature policies, such as building a new multibillion-dollar capital and limiting exports of raw materials to boost domestic industry.
Subianto, backed by Widodo, won a landslide victory in the presidential election in February, promising policy continuity.
President Subianto reappointed nearly half of Widodo’s cabinet members, including Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati.
Among these, Minister Indrawati became the first to serve as a minister under three different presidents. Minister Indrawati served as managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and a director of the World Bank, and is one of Indonesia’s finance ministers who served for a long time under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and President Joko Widodo.
Indrawati has earned considerable respect in the international community, particularly for his contributions to reforming Indonesia’s chaotic tax system and overcoming the global financial crisis and the coronavirus pandemic.
“We regularly consult with each other to discuss strategies to strengthen the finances of the country and the Ministry of Finance to support (President Subianto’s) programs,” Indrawati told reporters after meeting with President Subianto last week.
Other ministers in Widodo’s cabinet include Interior Minister Tito Karnavian, Trade Minister Zulkifli Hassan, Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia and State Enterprises Minister Erik Thohir.
President Subianto announced an ambitious goal of increasing annual economic growth to 8 percent by the end of his five-year term, with ambitious spending programs including increased defense spending, higher civil service salaries, and a program to provide free school meals to 83 million children. He announced that he would get started.
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