Yose Rizal Damuri, the Executive Director of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), praised the establishment of the Merah Putih Cabinet under President Prabowo Subianto. He stated that the creation 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.
Yose explained that the advantage of the large cabinet is that each ministry and agency has a more specialized portfolio to address specific areas that require attention. For instance, he highlighted a dedicated ministry overseeing Indonesia’s downstream industry, emphasizing the government’s commitment to advancing the sector. Furthermore, he mentioned an agency focused on managing the Free Nutritious Meals program, supervised by the Nutrition Agency, as an example of the government’s attention to priority areas.
Yose also noted the focus on foreign affairs, with a deputy minister designated to concentrate specifically on Middle East issues. He concluded that this approach allows for more focused attention on critical issues deemed highly important.
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 urged ministers to proactively eliminate obstacles and inefficiencies to provide the best service for the people.
