As the inauguration of the president and vice president on Oct. 20, 2024, approaches, the public has been eagerly speculating about the composition of the Prabowo-Gibran cabinet.
However, the much-discussed zaken cabinet, which would avoid distributing positions based on political party affiliations, has yet to materialize in the conversation around the Prabowo-Gibran cabinet design.
UGM sociologist and political communication expert Dr. Kuskridho Ambardi noted that the size of the cabinet will significantly impact the effectiveness of governance.
Prabowo’s formation of a large cabinet would be perfectly acceptable as long as it operates effectively to promote public welfare.
“But Prabowo seems more focused on building a large, disciplined battalion. Therefore, I don’t think public welfare is currently a priority in Prabowo’s considerations,” said Dr. Kuskridho Ambardi, often called Dodi.
This dialog was held during the Pojok Bulaksumur discussion titled “Ahead of the Presidential Inauguration: Messages for the Government and University Perspectives on Future Governance,” held at the western terrace of the UGM Central Office on Wednesday (Sep. 25).
According to Dodi, a “fat” cabinet structure could result in a government burdened with too many competing interests and slow decision-making. If the number of ministries and government bodies increases, a larger budget will also be required to execute government programs.
Dodi believes that Prabowo’s administration will likely continue many of the policies of the Jokowi administration, but with some key differences, as reflected in Prabowo’s statements in the media.
“I see that Prabowo is fond of ‘grandeur.’ He has a military background, which will influence his leadership style,” Dodi remarked.
He also cited Prabowo’s statements about his work program plans during the campaign, suggesting that Prabowo will focus on strengthening Indonesia’s international influence, resilience, and self-reliance.
This self-reliance could manifest in various forms, including economic, food, and defense independence.
Regarding public participation, Dodi predicted a decline compared to Jokowi’s ten-year administration.
“Prabowo once said he would learn directly from Jokowi, not experts. Perhaps he intends to shape his administration not through dialogue but through a regimented approach,” he added.
In Dodi’s view, such a governing system aligns well with Prabowo’s military background but may have significant shortcomings if implemented in civilian government.
Meanwhile, UGM Constitutional Law expert Dr. Yance Arizona highlighted the House of Representatives (DPR) recent move to pass the Draft Law on State Ministries.
This decision eliminates the cap on the number of ministries. Dr. Arizona criticized the legislative body for becoming a tool of the executive, a trend that began under Jokowi’s administration when many political party leaders were appointed ministers.
“If we observe the drafting of laws during this transitional period, the legislation seems to serve executive interests but originates from the DPR. This indicates that it is no longer an independent institution serving the people, but one that has been co-opted by executive power,” Dr. Arizona explained.
He expressed hope that the Prabowo administration would avoid repeating this system and restore the proper function of government bodies.
Given the DPR’s historically weak oversight of the executive, Dr. Arizona emphasized the role of universities as educational centers and experts as key agents in holding future administrations accountable.
He argued that higher education institutions should advocate for public interests by critically examining government policies.
“In my opinion, academics should not remain neutral in the future. They must take a stand for the public interest. And when offering criticism, it must be loud enough to be heard,” Dr. Arizona added.
Despite not being officially inaugurated, the Prabowo-Gibran administration is highly anticipated, given the many controversies that arose during the election and transition process.
Whatever form the cabinet and government system ultimately take, the public interest is hoped to be a top priority.
Author: Tasya
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afif
Photographer: Firsto