Yose Rizal Damuri, the Executive Director of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), praised the establishment of the Merah Putih Cabinet under President Prabowo Subianto. He noted that the creation of specialized ministries and new agencies demonstrates the government’s focused approach on specific issues. Yose expressed his optimism about the cabinet’s structure during a CSIS media briefing titled “Responding to Prabowo-Gibran Cabinet: Implications, Risks, and Recommendations.”
According to Yose, the formation of the cabinet is a positive development. He mentioned that despite its size, each ministry and agency has a more specialized portfolio to address specific areas of concern. For example, he highlighted a ministry dedicated to supervising Indonesia’s downstream industry, emphasizing the government’s commitment to advancing the sector. Additionally, there is an agency overseeing the Free Nutritious Meals program, demonstrating the government’s focus on specific priority areas.
Yose also pointed out the importance of having a deputy minister focusing on issues related to the Middle East in the foreign affairs sector. This targeted approach allows for more efficient attention to critical issues. During the inaugural Merah Putih Cabinet meeting, Prabowo underscored the challenges posed by Indonesia’s complex bureaucracy and urged ministers to proactively tackle obstacles and inefficiencies.
Prabowo emphasized the need for providing excellent service to the people, as many citizens feel that government bureaucracy often makes things more difficult. He called on ministers to be bold and decisive in their efforts to improve service delivery.
