Indonesian President Joko Widodo today made some major changes to his cabinet only 14 months into his second term in office. The new members of his cabinet include former Jakarta Deputy Governor Sandiaga Uno and former Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini.
The reshuffle plan had been widely rumored since the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Edhy Prabowo and Social Affairs Minister Juliari Batubara within weeks of each other. The government’s failure to contain COVID-19 spread in the country has also been touted as a reason for the cabinet reshuffle.
Tri Rismaharini, who is popularly known as Risma, has been appointed as the new social affairs minister, while Sandiaga was appointed the new tourism and creative economy minister, replacing Wishnutama Kusubandio.
The deputy minister of the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN), Budi Gunadi Sadikin, is replacing controversial Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto. Earlier this year, Budi was appointed as the head of the National Economy Recovery Task Force, established amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He also formerly served as the CEO of Bank Mandiri.
Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, who leads the Ansor Youth Movement (GP Ansor), was named the new Religious Affairs Minister, replacing Fachrul Razi. GP Ansor is the youth wing of Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU).
Deputy Minister of Defense Sakti Wahyu Trenggono has been appointed as Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, while the Indonesian Ambassador to the US, Muhammad Lutfi, was named as the new Trade Minister, replacing Agus Suparmanto. Lutfi briefly served in the same post in 2014 under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Just a few hours before the announcement, Jokowi took to social media this afternoon to post a poignant photo of a railway track that came with the text: “What’s new … should be better!”
Yang lalu biarlah berlalu, menjadi kenangan, juga pelajaran. Kita menatap hari esok dengan tekad, semangat, dan memancang harapan yang baru. pic.twitter.com/lkRRzdOJdx
— Joko Widodo (@jokowi) December 22, 2020
“Let the past be past, become a memory, and a lesson. We face tomorrow with determination, enthusiasm, and setting new hopes,” Jokowi wrote in the caption.
