Finance minister among those replaced by president in Indonesian reshuffle

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has replaced the country's minister of finance along with several other ministers and their deputies in a cabinet reshuffle announced Monday by State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi in a news conference at his office.

At 4 pm Monday, four new ministers and one vice-minister took the oath of office in Jakarta.

Replacing Sri Mulyani Indrawi as minister of finance is Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, an economist and engineering graduate who had served as chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Indonesia Deposit Insurance Corporation as well as in several strategic positions in the government.

Starting from 2005, Indrawati had served as minister of finance under three presidents, and had been said to be endeavouring to make fundamental changes to the financial sector. She had also served as minister of national development planning and head of the national development planning agency.

Also replaced in the reshuffle were Coordinating Minister of Political and Security Affairs Budi Gunawan, whose successor has not yet been announced; Minister of Migrant Workers Protection Abdul Kadir Karding, who was replaced by Mukhtarudin; Minister of Cooperatives Budi Arie Setiadi, who was replaced by his deputy Ferry Julianto; and Dito Ariotedjo, minister of youth and sports affairs, whose successor is yet to be announced.

Among the changes, Prabowo has also created a new ministry, named the Ministry of Haj and Umroh. Mochammad Irfan Yusuf has been appointed minister of the new ministry, with Anzar Simanjuntak acting as his deputy.

Before the reshuffle, Prabowo's cabinet, known as the Red and White Cabinet, had consisted of 109 ministers, vice-ministers and state agency heads.

The cabinet reshuffle followed a chaotic period for Indonesia, starting from Aug 28, during which violent demonstrations gripped the country and led to the deaths of approximately 10 people.

Protesters had demanded the revocation of significant rises to lawmakers' salaries and perks and their overseas working trips, as well as greater political transparency and participation.

Prabowo took office as president in October last year, along with Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.