Indonesian president reshuffles cabinet weeks before leaving office

Indonesian President Joko Widodo reshuffled his cabinet on Monday just weeks before he steps down in an effort to ease the transition to his successor, Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto, his office said.

Widodo — more popularly known as Jokowi — will hand over the reins in October, departing with sky-high approval ratings over an economic track record that delivered consistent growth coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Jokowi swore in new ministers for law and human rights, energy and mineral resources, and investment on Monday morning, as well as a new head of the food and drug agency and chief of the newly created national nutrition agency.

Former investment minister Bahlil Lahadalia, a close aide and vocal supporter of Jokowi, was appointed energy and mineral resources minister as the Indonesian leader focuses on a drive to boost nickel output.

Rosan Roeslani, who was head of Prabowo’s presidential campaign, replaced Bahlil as the country’s new investment minister while Supratman Andi Agtas, a member of Prabowo’s Gerindra party, became Minister of Law and Human Rights.

“The appointments of these ministers… and agency heads are necessary to facilitate a smooth, orderly, and effective government transition,” coordinator of the president’s special staff, Ari Dwipayana, said in a statement.

The national nutrition agency has been created to help Prabowo’s key campaign pledge — a multibillion-dollar pledge to give schoolchildren free meals.

Yunarto Wijaya, executive director at research institute Charta Politika, said the new ministers were “Prabowo’s people”, approved by Jokowi.

“There are likely political undertones, besides the transition purpose,” he said.

Jokowi, raised in a bamboo shack in a riverside slum on Indonesia’s biggest island of Java, last week hailed his government’s record on the economy, development and infrastructure building in his final state of the nation address.

The Indonesian leader has served the maximum two terms for a decade in power after beating Prabowo twice, in 2014 and 2019 elections.

Prabowo won with Jokowi’s eldest son running as his vice presidential candidate, which courted accusations of nepotism.

The defence chief soared in polls with the support of Jokowi and his offspring, as well as pledging to carry on the popular economic policies.

But a key legacy project of Jokowi — a $32-billion planned future capital on Borneo island — remains mired in construction delays and funding problems.