The new faces in the Cabinet are Coordinating Political, Legal and
Security Affairs Minister Wiranto, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati,
Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration Minister Eko Putro Sanjoyo,
Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi, Culture and Education Minister
Muhadjir Effendy, Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita, Trade Minister Airlangga
Hartarto, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Archandra Tahar and
Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Asman Abnur.
Who’s who in the new corridors of
power
Wiranto
“An old soldier never stops fighting,” Wiranto once said. This sentence
rings true as on Wednesday, the retired Army general, was appointed as
coordinating political, legal and security affairs minister, replacing Luhut
Pandjaitan.Wiranto is known as a military figure with a high-flying, but
extremely controversial, career. Born to a poor family in Yogyakarta on April
4, 1947, Wiranto graduated from the National Military Academy in 1968.Twenty
years later, he was appointed as a key aide to then president Soeharto from
1987 to 1991. This was a prestigious position during the New Order regime.
Afterward, his career took off as he was picked to serve in many strategic
positions in the military. Finally, he held the top position as the commander
of the Indonesian Military (then ABRI, now TNI) from February 1998 to October
1999.At the end of the New Order and the beginning of the reform era, the
country underwent a transition from presidents Soeharto to Habibie. At that
time, Wiranto served as the defense and security minister concurrent with his
role as ABRI chief.The reform era was a time of great turbulence in the country.
Wiranto, as ABRI chief, was therefore implicated in kidnappings and other
abuses conducted by the Army. He was also allegedly involved, at least
indirectly, in human rights violations in the Trisakti and Semanggi I and II
shootings of student activists in 1998.During the presidency of Abdurrahman
Wahid he was dismissed from his position as defense and security minister in
2000 amid allegations of human rights violations in East Timor.Prosecutors say
he played a key role in facilitating severe human rights abuses by the military
during Indonesia’s violent withdrawal from East Timor (now Timor Leste) during
which more than 2,000 Timorese died. However, he has repeatedly denied all
charges against him.UN and domestic groups have accused Wiranto of committing crimes
against humanity. He was also included in the list of suspected war criminals
and was prohibited from entering the US.Despite his controversial history,
however, he has sufficient charm and charisma to earn him a limited amount of
electoral support. He has made several attempts to get into the State Palace,
running in the 2004 presidential election, unsuccessfully, as Golkar’s
candidate.After that, he formed the Hanura Party with several retired Army
generals and has served as the party’s chairman. In the 2009 presidential
election, Wiranto ran for vice-president as Jusuf Kalla’s running mate.In 2014,
Wiranto tried to run for president again with running mate media tycoon Hary
Tanoesoedibjo but failed to garner enough support from other political parties
to nominate himself. Hanura later joined with the Indonesian Democratic Party
of Struggle (PDI-P) to nominate then presidential candidate Joko “Jokowi”
Widodo. His political efforts finally paid off, to a certain degree, on
Wednesday when he was finally able to return to the Palace in his role as close
aide of Jokowi, with his dark past presumably behind him. (win)
Sri Mulyani
New Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati is not only the most senior
woman at the World Bank, she is, according to Forbes magazine, one of the world’s
most powerful women. She is also a mother of three.These facts speak louder
than words about her qualities. The reform-minded “iron” lady, who calls
herself “tough”, earned her reputation when leading the finance ministry from
2005 to 2010, during which she was known for instigating bureaucratic reforms,
including at the deeply entrenched tax office by setting up a new code of
ethics and set of sanctions.Sri Mulyani opposed calls for the closure of the
Indonesian Stock Exchange to halt a nosedive in shares of Bumi Resources,
partly owned by politically-wired tycoon Aburizal Bakrie. She also imposed a
travel ban on a number of coal-mining executives after a dispute over the
companies’ reluctance to pay government fees.Her efforts in pushing through
reforms may have earned her enemies or yielded dislike in some parties. In
2010, she stepped down from her post amid a heated bailout scandal of Bank
Century, in which she became the target of an opposition campaign accusing her
and former vice president Boediono of abusing their authority during the Rp 6.7
trillion bailout. Sri Mulyani joined the World Bank in 2010. Prior to departing
to Washington DC, in a public lecture at the RitzCarlton Hotel in Jakarta, she
said in her speech: “I’ll be back.”And back she is. Six years on, she will be
faced with challenges that include a weak economy that has grown less than
expected and complicated state revenue collection efforts at a time when
Jokowi’s administration needs a hefty amount of funds to push through infrastructure
projects.At the World Bank Sri Mulyani was respected as someone whose
understanding of clients’ needs shaped strategy for a better and bigger World
Bank Group, said Jim Yong-kim, the Bank’s president. “I have personally come to
rely on Sri Mulyani for her wise advice and insightful counsel, and I will
greatly miss her voice on the Senior Management Team,” Jim wrote in an official
farewell letter. (Prima Wirayani and Esther Samboh)
Archandra Tahar
While the condition of Indonesia’s oil and gas sector remains grim as a
result of plunging energy prices, one long-time player may be able to spruce
things up.Boasting degrees in mechanical and marine engineering, 45-year-old
Archandra Tahar, served as president of Houston-based offshore technologies and
consulting company Petroneering before being summoned by Jokowi to take on the
mantle of energy and mineral resources minister.Archandra received access into
Jokowi from his friend, PDI-P rising-star politician Darmawan Prasodjo -- a key
member of Jokowi’s 2014 presidential campaign team.Archandra has spent more
than 20 years in the oil and gas sector, with stints as principal at Horson Wison
Deepwater and as principal and president of the Asia Pacific department for AGR
Deepwater Development System. Furthermore, he holds several international
patents in offshore fields.Archandra’s background is expected to be reflected
in his commitment to bringing in new technology in order to increase oil and
gas production, and to ensure energy security in the future.“Three things we
hope to focus on in the energy and minerals sector is first, technology as the
backbone, second, human resources and third, we must make the process more
accountable,” he said after his inauguration ceremony. Oil and gas exploration
in particular, has suffered under low commodity prices. Industry players await
with bated breath the changes Archandra may bring with him. Executives of Pupuk
Indonesia Energi (PIE), a subsidiary of state-owned fertilizer firm Pupuk
Indonesia Holding Company (PIHC), for example, expect that the new energy
minister could help reduce the high price of gas, which is the biggest expense
of the fertilizer industry.According to Petroengineering’s website, Archandra’s
company has worked with state oil and gas firm Pertamina, BP and ExxonMobil. (Fedina
S. Sundaryani and Grace D. Amianti)
Budi Karya Sumadi
Spending his entire career as a professional, Budi Karya Sumadi has been
brushing shoulders with Jokowi since the latter served as governor of Jakarta
between 2012 and 2014.Prior to his appointment as transportation minister,
Budi, 59, served as president director of state airport operator Angkasa Pura
(AP) II for a little more than a year.He recently found himself in the media
spotlight in regards to the high-profile expansion of Terminal 3 at Jakarta’s
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, the country’s largest and busiest
airport. The operation of the terminal, initially slated to be launched in
June, has been delayed after it failed to secure a greenlight from the then
Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan due to a number of technical
hurdles.After securing his degree in architecture from Gadjah Mada University,
also Jokowi’s alma mater, Budi started his career as an architect at the
Jakarta-based construction firm Pembangunan Jaya in 1982.Since then, he has
dedicated himself to the property business for more than 25 years. He assumed
the position of president director of publicly listed Pembangunan Jaya Ancol in
2004 and served in that position for nine years. Other companies where he has
held board of director positions include Jaya Garden Polis, Jaya Real Property
and Jaya Land.One of his career highlights was in the Jakarta provincial
administration-owned Jakarta Propertindo (Jakpro), where he served as president
director from 2013 to 2015. During his time in Jakpro, Budi supported Jokowi’s
regreening and city park construction programs in Pluit Dam, North Jakarta,
while the latter served as governor. Commenting on his new position, Budi said
that his long experience as a professional would help his leadership at the Transportation
Ministry.“We are talking about technicalities, like those related to human
resources and finance, which I’m already familiar with,” he said. He also
revealed that the President had asked him to improve the country’s connectivity
and manage transportation operators. (Farida Susanty)
Enggartiasto Lukita
Born 64 years ago in the West Java city of Cirebon, Enggartiasto
“Enggar” Lukita is a property businessman and a veteran politician, having
served in the Golkar Party for over three decades.In 2013, Enggar jumped ship
to the NasDem Party and has become a key member of the relatively young party.
Following Jokowi’s inauguration as the country’s seventh president, Enggar was
rumored to join Jokowi’s Cabinet as one of his economic ministers despite his
alleged involvement in the 1999 Bank Indonesia liquidity support scandal.Lawyer
Petrus Selestinus, coordinator of the Indonesian Democracy Defense Team,
accused Enggar in 2014 of receiving funds from Bank Bali graft convict and
fugitive Djoko S. Tjandra. Petrus still to this day maintains Enggar received
the funds, which he said were detailed in Djoko’s dossier.“President Jokowi
should review and reconsider Enggar. [The President] cannot be surrounded by
people who are potentially involved in graft,” Petrus said. Others who were
implicated in the case include former House of Representatives speaker Setya
Novanto, now Golkar Party chairman, who was quickly acquitted of all
charges.Enggar has repeatedly denied the accusations and claims an audit by
multinational service network PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) supports his
position.Despite the accusation, Enggar has remained untouched and has been a
NasDem Party lawmaker since 2014. Enggar, who graduated from the English
department at the Bandung Teacher Training Institute (now the Indonesian
University of Education), has built up a successful real estate and property
business. He started his career in the industry in 1977 as a staffer to a
director at PT Bangun Tjipta Sarana, where just two years later he was promoted
as the company’s head of personnel.He continued to pursue his career in the
company until he became president director in 1986. Enggar would continue his
reign as president director in a number of companies, namely PT Supradinakarya
Multijaya Group, PT Citrasari Inti, PT Kartika Karisma Indah and PT Kemang Pratama.
In his capacity as Golkar politician, Enggar has served as lawmaker for four
terms from 1997 to 2014, during which time he served on various commissions,
including those overseeing defense, foreign affairs, agriculture, maritime
affairs, forestry and transportation. (Dewanti A. Wardhani)
Eko Putro Sandjojo
National Awakening Party (PKB) politician Eko Putro Sandjojo was chosen
to be the villages, disadvantaged regions and transmigration minister,
replacing his fellow politician Marwan Jafar.Eko is no stranger to Jokowi’s
administration. He had previously served in Jokowi’s transition team shortly
after Jokowi was elected President in 2014. The team was tasked with preparing
a smooth transition from then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to Jokowi.Eko
was born on May 21, 1965, in Jakarta. He graduated from the Polytechnic
University of Indonesia and pursued a Bachelor’s degree at the University of
Kentucky, Lexington, US, in 1991, majoring in electrical engineering. He
received a Master’s of business administration from the IPMI International
Business School in 1993. After graduating, he worked at PT Indonesia Farming
from 1994 to 1997 as a general manager.Besides currently serving as a general
treasurer of the PKB, Eko has also held strategic positions in various
companies.In 1997, he joined a publicly listed agribusiness company PT Sierad
Produce and became its president director from 2005 to 2006. Then he moved to
PT Humpuss, a publicly listed shipping firm owned by former president
Soeharto’s youngest son Hutomo “Tommy” Mandala Putra. He became the company’s
president director in 2007. Next, he went back to Sierad and served as the
firm’s president director in 2009. (win)
Muhadjir Effendy
Muhadjir Effendy officially replaced Anies Baswedan to become the
culture and education minister. Muhadjir was born on July 29, 1956, in Madiun,
East Java. The former rector received his bachelor’s degree from IKIP Malang in
1982.Afterward, he earned his master’s degree from Gadjah Mada University (UGM)
majoring in public administration in 1996. In 2008, he received his PhD in
military sociology from Airlangga University, in Surabaya, East Java.He has
also done a short course in military and defense studies at the Pentagon, the
US, and a short course on higher education management at Victoria University,
Canada.Muhadjir started his career at the Muhammadiyah University in Malang
(UMM) as an intern. He rose slowly in his career to become a lecturer and later
assistant to the rector in 1984.In 1996, he was elected as UMM’s vice rector
before finally being appointed as rector in 2000. Muhadjir has served as rector
for three periods from 2000 to 2004, 2004 to 2008, and from 2008 to February
this year. Besides having worked as a lecturer for the School of Social and
Political Sciences in UMM, he was also a lecturer for the School of Education
at the State University of Malang (UM).Not restricting himself to the education
field, Muhadjir was also known as an active columnist who often wrote on topics
related to religion, education, politics and the military in mass media,
scientific journals and books.Books that Muhadjir has written about educational
or military affairs include University and Students Life in 1989, The State of
Education in 1992, Equilibrium Society: Walking the Changes in Balance in 2002,
Humanity Paedagogy: A Multidimensional Reflection in 2004, Military
Professionalism in 2008, and Military Character and Profession: A Phenomenology
Study in 2009.Muhadjir has also been active in the management of several
institutions such as serving as the chairman of Muhammadiyah, chairman of the
Central Agency for Private Islamic Universities Cooperation (BKS-PTIS),
chairman of the Association of Families of Indonesian Islamic Students (KB PII)
in East Java, and vice chairman of the Indonesian Association for the
Development of Social Sciences (HIPIIS).Muhadjir was also a member of the
expert council of the Indonesian Association of Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI) and
a member of the board of the East Java Regional Research. (win)
Airlangga Hartarto
An engineer by training, Airlangga has successfully paved his way
through Indonesian politics as a part of the Golkar Party, the country’s oldest
and second-largest political party.Airlangga, 53, is the son of Hartato
Sastrosoenarto, who served as a minister for former president Soeharto for three
consecutive terms, 15 years in total. His father, also an engineer, served as
industry minister for two terms and then later became the coordinating
production and distribution minister. Airlangga was undertaking his third
consecutive term as a Golkar Party legislator before his appointment as
Industry Minister. Earlier this year, it was thought by many that the father of
eight would run as a candidate for the party’s chairmanship. Ultimately, the
chairmanship was won by former speaker of the House of Representatives, Setya
Novanto.In his second term as a legislator in the 2009-2014 period, Airlangga
chaired House Commission VI overseeing industry, trade, investment and
state-owned enterprises. During his tenure, he introduced the 2014 Industry
Law.Airlangga received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from
Gadjah Mada University in 1987. Although he failed to complete his master’s
degree at the University of Pennsylvania, Airlangga later went on to receive
two master’s degrees from Monash University and Melbourne University.Airlangga
is the first and currently only Golkar Party representative in Jokowi’s
Cabinet. House Speaker Ade Komaruddin, a Golkar Party member, said Airlangga
was “the right man for the job”. (Dewanti A. Wardhani)
Asman Abnur
Asman Abnur, a senior National Mandate Party (PAN) politician, has
replaced Yuddy Chrisnandi as the administrative and bureaucratic reform
minister, with the main task of reforming bureaucracy and managing civil
servants. Asman was born in Pariaman, West Sumatra, on Feb. 2, 1961. He
completed his primary and secondary education in Riau province and moved to
Padang to study for his undergraduate degree in economics. After finishing his
bachelor’s degree, he moved to Surabaya, East Java, to pursue a master’s degree
at Airlangga University until 2004.Asman is a prominent businessman. He has
experience developing a wide range of businesses including several gas
stations, a number of restaurants, pharmacies, fitness centers, banks and money
changers.Given his business background, he has been entrusted with various
positions, including chairman of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association
(HIPMI) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) in Batam. Currently,
he manages his business activities in Batam, Singapore and Jakarta.Asman
started his political career in 2001 as a city councilor in Batam. A few months
later, he was elected deputy mayor of Batam from 2001 to 2004. He chaired the
investigation team of the Batam Free Trade Zone (FTZ) from 2000 until
2004.Asman was elected to the House of Representatives, representing Riau, in
2004 and was appointed vice chairman of House Commission XI for the period of
2004 to 2009. At the same time, he served as general treasurer for PAN. Since
2014 he has served as deputy chair for House Commission X for education and
sports. The Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said that Asman was well
experienced to deal with the bureaucracy.
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