Missteps, lack of coordination loom over Indonesia’s ‘bloated’ cabinet

The Red-and-White Cabinet, consisting of 48 ministers, 56 deputy ministers and seven heads of ministerial-level agencies, has widely been seen as Prabowo’s attempt to consolidate his big alliance of political parties.

Dio Suhenda

Dio Suhenda

The Jakarta Post

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Cabinet ministers under Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto take their oaths during a swearing-in ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on October 21, 2024. PHOTO: AFP

January 22, 2025

JAKARTA – A raft of missteps and lack of coordination among cabinet officials has colored the first three months of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration, as analysts point to the overburdened bureaucracy as the leading cause of the government’s issues.

The Red-and-White Cabinet, consisting of 48 ministers, 56 deputy ministers and seven heads of ministerial-level agencies, has widely been seen as Prabowo’s attempt to consolidate his big alliance of political parties.

But the controversies surrounding several cabinet members, as some observers have pointed out, have become a blemish on an otherwise benign first few months, during which Prabowo garnered a high approval rating, largely on the back of populist policies.

Among the latest controversies is a spat between Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono and the Navy regarding a 30-kilometer-long sea fence of unexplained origins in Tangerang, Banten.

Sakti declared earlier this month that the fence was illegal but opted at the time only to close it off, prompting the Navy to step in and begin dismantling it last week under Prabowo’s orders.

Sakti was quick to oppose the operation, saying evidence could be destroyed in the process. But he later retracted his opposition and instead promised to participate in the operation following back-to-back meetings with Prabowo and the Navy chief of staff on Monday.

Government officials last year had also sent mixed messages on a sweeping, controversial plan to increase the value-added tax (VAT) before the President walked back on the proposal at the eleventh hour before the new year, implementing the VAT hike only on luxury goods.

Late last year, special presidential envoy for religious development Miftah Maulana Habiburrahman was also embroiled in controversy for mocking a vendor for selling iced tea on a rainy day to attendees at a religious gathering. Following Prabowo’s reprimand, conveyed through Cabinet Secretary Teddy Wijaya, Miftah issued a public apology.

In another incident, Villages and Regional Development Minister Yandri Susanto used his ministry letterhead in a private invitation to a family event in October of last year. The incident prompted the cabinet secretary a to issue a warning to all cabinet members, which was followed by Yandri issuing a public apology.

Most recently, Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Satryo Brodjonegoro faced a protest from his own civil servants on Monday over his leadership approach and related incidents, although the squabble was resolved on the same day.

When asked for a response to the controversies, Presidential Communications Office head Hasan Nasbi told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that “everything has been handled or resolved”.

Observers, however, have said that Prabowo’s cabinet suffers from a lack of coordination because of its “bloated size” and the numerous political appointees.

“This an unavoidable consequence of Prabowo’s decision to install ministers as a result of political negotiations, rather than based on their expertise,” political analyst Yoes Kenawas said on Tuesday.

“Prabowo is indeed a decisive and hands-on leader. But even he has limits when it comes to controlling not only the policies of his 48 ministers, but also their actions,” he added.

Public policy expert Trubus Rahardiansyah said that Prabowo has not been able to “place the right person for the right job” in his cabinet makeup.

“Prabowo is the kind of leader that wants to welcome everybody, even when the people [he appointed to cabinet] had minimal understanding of what their job should be,” Trubus said.

He predicted that a reshuffle to remove underperforming ministers is likely as Prabowo’s main priority will be to ensure that his priority programs can get back on track.

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