ewly inaugurated President Prabowo Subianto has sworn in his Red and White Cabinet consisting of more than 100 officials, the largest the country has seen in decades since first President Sukarno formed in 1966 the second Dwikora Cabinet with a line-up of 132 ministers, but which only lasted for a month.
Indonesia’s Largest Cabinet in Decades: Prabowo Subianto Unveils Over 100 Ministers
On Monday, a day after taking the oath as Indonesia’s eighth president, Prabowo Subianto officially appointed 48 ministers, 56 deputy ministers, and five heads of ministerial-level agencies. This “Red and White Cabinet,” as it’s being called, boasts a diverse mix of Prabowo’s loyalists and individuals from the administration of his predecessor, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, including the father of Prabowo’s Vice President, Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
This decision to form such a large cabinet has sparked considerable discussion. Critics view it as an attempt to distribute political favors to a wide range of supporters, despite concerns about potential budget strain and increased bureaucratic hurdles.
History Repeats Itself: Indonesia’s Bloated Cabinets
However, this isn’t the first time Indonesia has seen a cabinet of this size. President Soekarno famously formed an administration of 110 ministers and ministerial-level officials, known as the Dwikora Cabinet, in 1964. This move was part of his attempt to implement the government policies outlined in his Independence Day speech titled “The Year of Living Dangerously.”
Only time will tell what impact this massive cabinet will have on Indonesia’s governance and its ability to effectively address the nation’s challenges.
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