Less than a year into office, the Prabowo-Gibran administration continues to exhibit intense political dynamics through large-scale restructuring, changes in ministerial nomenclature, and the creation of new ministries and agencies.
Among these changes is the downgrade of the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) to the State-Owned Enterprises Regulatory Agency (BP BUMN), while another crucial institution has been elevated to full ministerial status with the establishment of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
This increasingly large cabinet has been linked to overlapping policies, coordination challenges, and slow budget absorption.
According to Professor Wahyudi Kumorotomo, a public policy expert from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), the structural changes introduced by the Prabowo-Gibran administration represent a case of cabinet proliferation that could undermine government effectiveness.
“Since the cabinet was formed in October 2024, there have been clear indications of significant proliferation under President Prabowo’s leadership,” Professor Kumorotomo said on Thursday (Oct. 16).
Professor Kumorotomo emphasized that this oversized cabinet needs to be reviewed.
A 2014 study on organizational structure and governance conducted by the National Institute of Public Administration (LAN) recommended an ideal number of 22 ministries or agencies, with the legal maximum set at 34 under Law No. 39 of 2008.
Currently, the number of ministries and agencies exceeds 50.
According to Professor Wahyudi, this expansion stems from the president’s intention to include as many political parties and community organizations as possible.
“As a result, overlapping jurisdictions have become unavoidable, and policy coordination has grown increasingly difficult,” he noted.
Professor Kumorotomo further pointed out that one of the most visible consequences of this proliferation is the increased budget required to fund the operational needs of new ministries and agencies.
“New institutions, new nomenclatures, and new officials inevitably demand resources from signage and office facilities to salaries for Echelon-1 level officials and all related operational costs,” explained the public budgeting researcher.
In addition, Professor Kumorotomo highlighted that the government’s and regional administrations’ slow budget absorption is largely due to unclear authority among ministries and agencies.
“Effective government spending is crucial for creating jobs and stimulating the real economy, especially when the nation is grappling with multiple economic challenges,” he concluded.
Author: Aldi Firmansyah
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Illustration: Detik