JAKARTA: Indonesia’s president announced a Cabinet reshuffle on Monday (Sep 8), replacing key economic and security ministers after deadly protests erupted across the country over lawmakers’ perks.
Five ministers lost their jobs, including Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, a widely respected technocrat and former managing director of the World Bank, as well as Budi Gunawan, the coordinating minister for politics and security.
Sri Mulyani’s replacement, economist Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, has been sworn in.
Purbaya has been head of the Indonesia Deposit Insurance Corporation since 2020. Prior to that, he served in various roles at several ministries, including deputy minister at the maritime and investment ministry.
Purbaya, who has master’s and doctoral degrees in economics from Purdue University, has also served as chief executive of state-owned brokerage Danareksa Securities.
Speaking to journalists shortly after he was sworn in, Purbaya said that 8 per cent economic growth was “not impossible” and that he would find ways to quickly boost the economy.
Budi’s replacement has not yet been announced, according to Indonesia’s Antara news agency.
The reshuffle also involved the Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs, as well as the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
“Based on various considerations, input, and continuous evaluations, the president this afternoon decided to reshuffle several ministerial positions in the Red and White Cabinet,” Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said in a press statement in Jakarta, as quoted by Antara.
