Jakarta: The newly elected President of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto officially swore in his cabinet on Monday. The ceremony signals a major commitment to maintaining the core policies of his predecessor, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
Prabowo, who took office on Sunday as Indonesia’s eighth president, addressed lawmakers with a passionate speech emphasising his administration’s focus on eradicating corruption and achieving self-sufficiency in food and energy.
The cabinet comprises 48 ministries and includes over 100 ministers and deputies, with several key figures from Jokowi’s administration retained in their roles.
Notably, Sri Mulyani Indrawati has been reappointed as Finance Minister, along with Bahlil Lahadalia as Energy Minister.
Sri Mulyani will oversee Prabowo’s flagship initiatives, including a programme that aims to provide free meals to approximately 20 million children. This ambitious programme is projected to cost the state budget around 71 trillion rupiahs (approximately $4.60 billion) in its first year, with the goal of keeping the annual fiscal deficit within the legislated ceiling of 3 percent of gross domestic product. Renowned for her reforms in Indonesia’s taxation system during her tenure under two previous presidents, Sri Mulyani’s expertise is expected to play a crucial role in managing the finances of the nation.
Other prominent reappointments include Airlangga Hartarto as Chief Economic Minister and Erick Thohir as the Minister for State-owned Enterprises.
Analyst Burhanuddin Muhtadi noted that these choices indicate Prabowo’s intention to continue Jokowi’s economic policies, suggesting a cautious approach that prioritizes political stability. “Prabowo does not want to take further risks, and that’s why he chose key figures that served under Jokowi,” Muhtadi stated.
20 Oktober 2024.
Kami mengucap sumpah di hadapan seluruh rakyat Indonesia dan terutama di hadapan Tuhan Yang Maha Esa. Kami bersumpah untuk memegang teguh Undang-Undang Dasar serta menjalankan segala undang-undang dan peraturannya dengan sebaik-baiknya.
Kami berbakti kepada… pic.twitter.com/6W8ZPuOm8u
— Prabowo Subianto (@prabowo) October 20, 2024
The new cabinet also features Sugiono as the Foreign Minister, who is currently the deputy of Prabowo’s political party and serves as the second-in-command of the parliamentary commission overseeing foreign policy.
Luhut Pandjaitan, a senior minister in Jokowi’s government known for leading Indonesia’s mineral processing industry, has been appointed as head of the National Economic Council.
While many aspects of Prabowo’s cabinet reflect continuity, there are notable changes, including the separation of the Education and Culture ministries, as well as the Environment and Forestry ministries, which have been restructured.
Ahead of the cabinet’s inauguration, Prabowo met with China’s visiting Vice President Han Zheng.
As President Prabowo Subianto embarks on his term, the focus on continuity in governance amid significant challenges suggests a strategy aimed at stability and gradual reform in Indonesia’s political and economic landscape.
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