Prabowo Subianto sworn in as Indonesia’s President with largest cabinet in decades

Prabowo Subianto, a former military general, has been inaugurated as Indonesia’s eighth president, marking a significant shift in leadership. The 73-year-old leader, who has long been shadowed by allegations of human rights abuses, officially took office on Sunday, pledging sweeping reforms and announcing the country’s largest cabinet since the 1960s.

The inauguration of Prabowo signals the end of a decade-long era under outgoing president Joko Widodo, also known as Jokowi, who oversaw substantial economic growth and large-scale infrastructure development in Southeast Asia’s largest economy. Having previously made two unsuccessful bids for the presidency, Prabowo finally secured victory in February’s election, winning over 58% of the vote against two other challengers.

In his inauguration speech, Prabowo laid out an ambitious agenda, vowing to tackle corruption, poverty, and other pressing issues facing the nation. He emphasized his commitment to being a president for all Indonesians, stating that they must always realize that a free nation is where the people are free. They must be freed of fear, poverty, hunger, ignorance, oppression, and suffering. His fiery address lasted nearly an hour and underscored his determination to bring about meaningful change.

Prabowo’s swearing-in ceremony also included his running mate, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of former president Jokowi. The appointment of Gibran adds a layer of continuity to the new administration, despite the change in leadership.

One of Prabowo’s first actions as president was the unveiling of his new cabinet, which includes 48 ministers and 58 vice-ministers. This makes it the largest cabinet Indonesia has seen since the 1960s, significantly larger than the 34 ministers and 30 vice-ministers under Jokowi’s administration. Among those reappointed to key positions were Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Chief Economic Minister Airlangga Hartarto, signaling a degree of policy continuity, especially in economic affairs.

Prabowo mentioned that challenges, hurdles, and threats that Indonesia is facing amid the global dynamics and turmoil are not light matters, emphasizing the need for stability in the face of global uncertainties. The decision to retain key figures from Jokowi’s government reflects his caution, political scientist Burhanuddin Muhtadi told sources. However, some observers expressed concern over the sheer size of the cabinet, warning that an overly large government could lead to inefficiencies. 

The new members of the cabinet are going to be sworn in on Monday, and they will start their term with a retreat that will last for three days at a military institution located in the central region of Java. Migrant Protection Minister Abdul Kadir Karding stated that during the retreat, they will be staying in tents with the intention of promoting unity among the ministers and assisting them in aligning themselves with Prabowo’s vision for the country so that they may better serve the country.

As Prabowo Subianto begins his term as president of Indonesia, the country is marking the beginning of a new chapter, one that will be characterised by a combination of continuity and change. The entire country is keeping a careful eye on how his promises of reform will carry out.