Jakarta — The Executive Director of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Yose Rizal Damuri, commended the formation of the Merah Putih Cabinet under President Prabowo Subianto, noting that the establishment of specialized ministries and new agencies reflects the government’s focused approach on specific issues.
Speaking at a CSIS media briefing titled “Responding to Prabowo-Gibran Cabinet: Implications, Risks, and Recommendations,” streamed on CSIS Indonesia’s YouTube channel on Friday (Oct. 25), Yose expressed optimism about the cabinet’s structure.
“This is a positive outcome from the formation of this cabinet. Although it appears to be a large cabinet, the advantage is that each ministry and agency has a more specialized portfolio to address specific areas that require attention,” Yose explained.
As an example, Yose highlighted a dedicated ministry tasked with overseeing Indonesia’s downstream industry. This, he said, underscores the government’s serious commitment to advancing the downstream processing sector.
“There’s also an agency focused on managing the Free Nutritious Meals program, specifically supervised by the Nutrition Agency. This type of focus shows the government’s attention to particular priority areas,” he added.
Yose also cited foreign affairs, noting that a deputy minister is designated to concentrate specifically on issues related to the Middle East. “This approach is beneficial as it allows for more focused attention on critical issues deemed highly important,” Yose concluded.
During the inaugural Merah Putih Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday (Oct. 23), Prabowo emphasized the challenges of Indonesia’s complex bureaucracy. He encouraged ministers to proactively eliminate obstacles and inefficiencies.
“Our citizens often comment that government bureaucracy seems to make things harder rather than easier. Some even say, ‘if it can be made difficult, why make it easy?’ I urge our ministers to be bold and decisive in providing the best service for our people,” Prabowo stated. (RR)
