President-elect Prabowo Subianto has summoned candidates for minister, deputy minister, and agency head positions to fill strategic posts, but CELIOS analysis shows that most candidates are politicians (55.6%) and supporters of Prabowo-Gibran (72%). Only 15.7% are technocratic professionals, while women account for just 9.3%. CELIOS researcher Galau D. Muhammad emphasized, “Appointing more deputy ministers means higher state spending. All these obligations further exacerbate fiscal vulnerability.”
This phenomenon also risks widening inequality. CELIOS researcher Achmad Hanif Imaduddin noted, “Although ministers’ salaries are relatively low compared with those of people in other positions, these posts can have broad economic impacts, such as an increase in the value of companies owned by ministers, which can be viewed as a benefit derived from access to power.” Indonesia has 46 ministers—far more than large-population countries such as the US and China—pointing to the risk of an expanding bureaucracy and budgetary waste.
Media Wahyudi Askar highlighted the issue of meritocracy: “Rather than being selected on the basis of expertise and professional track records, these positions tend to be distributed according to political interests. Deputy minister posts, which were often filled by professionals in the past, are now being given to political party cadres.” CELIOS emphasizes the need to strengthen budget oversight and transparency through the BPK, KPK, and MA to ensure accountability, prevent waste, and create a clean government focused on the public interest.
President-elect Prabowo Subianto has summoned candidates for minister, deputy minister, and agency head positions, but CELIOS analysis shows that most are politicians (55.6%) and supporters of Prabowo-Gibran (72%). Only 15.7% are technocratic professionals, while women account for just 9.3%. CELIOS researcher Galau D. Muhammad emphasized, “Appointing more deputy ministers means higher state spending. All these burdens further exacerbate fiscal vulnerability.”
This phenomenon also risks widening inequality. CELIOS researcher Achmad Hanif Imaduddin noted, “Although ministers’ salaries are relatively low compared with those of people in other positions, these posts can have broad economic impacts, such as an increase in the value of companies owned by ministers, which can be viewed as a benefit derived from access to power.” Indonesia has 46 ministers—far more than large-population countries such as the US and China—pointing to the risk of an expanding bureaucracy and budgetary waste.
Media Wahyudi Askar highlighted the issue of meritocracy: “Rather than being selected on the basis of expertise and professional track records, these positions tend to be distributed according to political interests. Deputy minister posts, which were often filled by professionals in the past, are now being given to political party cadres.” CELIOS emphasizes the need to strengthen budget oversight and transparency through the BPK, KPK, and MA to ensure accountability, prevent waste, and create a clean government focused on the public interest.
Contact person:
Media Wahyudi Askar (08118215000)
DOWNLOAD: CELIOS press release on the Prabowo-Gibran cabinet