JakartaPost-March 12, 2025
A recent spate of accusations of nepotism and cronyism under the administration of President Prabowo Subianto has caused a public outcry, as experts warn of the potential impact on the government’s effectiveness and accountability. The latest controversy was the appointment of Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni and fellow members of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) to the country’s Forestry and Other Land Use (FOLU) Net Sink 2030 program. The minister, who is also the secretary general of the PSI, appointed himself, party deputy chair Andy Budiman and at least ten other party members, including Andy’s wife Suci Mayang Sari, to the program’s Operation Management Office (OMO), prompting a public backlash over perceived cronyism and the potential misuse of funds. Social media users and some lawmakers from other political parties called on donor countries to reassess their funding for the program. Raja has yet to comment on the appointments but downplayed concerns about the potential misuse of funds. Andy of the PSI did not immediately respond to The Jakarta Post’s questions. A similar allegation of nepotism was leveled against Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, whose younger brother Maroef Sjamsoeddin was appointed executive director of state-owned mining holding firm MIND ID earlier this month. Maroef, a retired two-star Air Force officer, will oversee five mining giants, including PT Antam and PT Timah. The State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Ministry said Maroef was qualified for the position, noting that he had served as president director of Freeport Indonesia from 2015 to 2016. The list of such allegations has been growing since Prabowo took office in October of last year. Figures considered Prabowo’s close confidants ended up holding strategic ministerial posts, including Sjafrie; Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Djiwandono, who is the President’s nephew; and Foreign Minister Sugiono, who was dubbed Prabowo’s “ideological son” for his closeness to the President. Read more at:
