February 22, 2024
JAKARTA – Democratic Party chair Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono finally ended his nearly 10-year journey in the political wilderness on Wednesday when he became the new agrarian and spatial planning minister in President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s outgoing administration.
Agus replaced Hadi Tjahjanto, who was promoted to be the new coordinating political, legal and security affairs minister.
It is the first time that Agus has held public office since leaving the military in 2016 to pursue a career in politics, following in the footsteps of his father, former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), whose party became part of the opposition after Jokowi came to power in 2014.
Agus’ political career began with a trial by fire in the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election. With the backing of the Democratic Party-led alliance, Agus ran against the more experienced Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama and Anies Baswedan, with Anies eventually prevailing.
Following his defeat, Agus founded the Yudhoyono Institute think tank in 2017. He succeeded his father as the Democratic Party chair three years later in 2020.
As chairman, Agus consistently opposed the Jokowi administration and positioned his party as one of two opposition parties in the House of Representatives, along with the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS).
Last year, the Democrats and PKS joined hands with the NasDem Party to nominate Anies in the 2024 presidential race, with Agus rumored to be the strongest vice presidential candidate to run alongside the former Jakarta governor.
But the Democratic Party then left the Anies camp after NasDem made a surprise decision to name National Awakening Party (PKB) chair Muhaimin Iskandar as Anies’ running mate.
The Democrats eventually joined the big-tent alliance that backed the presidential bid of Defense Minister and Gerindra Party chair Prabowo Subianto, who ran with Jokowi’s eldest son Gibran Rakabuming Raka and pledged to continue Jokowi’s programs.
The Democrats campaigned intensively for the Prabowo-Gibran ticket, staging major rallies in the party’s stronghold of East Java.
Official results are not due until March 20, but unofficial results from quick counts show that Prabowo and Gibran won a comfortable lead in the presidential election last week.
Prabowo had several times praised Agus and the Democratic Party for supporting his campaign, and shortly after last week’s balloting, Prabowo publicly thanked the senior Yudhoyono for “coming out of retirement” and walking for 7 kilometers to attend his final rally at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.
Agus’ appointment came after Jokowi appeared to enjoy a breakfast with Agus last month during his working visit to Central Java, and after Gibran visited Agus and his father in their family residence in Cikeas, West Java earlier this month.
Speaking after his inauguration on Wednesday, Agus said that his father and the Democrats “are glad” to be able to join Jokowi’s cabinet, thanking the President for the honor while also revealing his intention to visit Prabowo “to ask for a blessing” before doing his new job.
Agus’ ministerial duty is expected to end when Jokowi steps down from office in October.
“Although I will only hold the post for a short period of time, roughly eight months, I believe that we can always do our best for the people and the country regardless of the time we have on our hands,” Agus said.
But Prabowo himself has previously promised in public to appoint Agus to a “very important and strategic” position in the next government should he win the election.
Analyst Ujang Komarudin said it is likely that Prabowo will also appoint Agus as a minister in his cabinet. “The Democrats have officially left the opposition now. Should Prabowo become president, I’d say he will give one or two ministerial posts to the Democratic Party.”