Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has undertaken a significant cabinet reshuffle, replacing five ministers in response to growing public dissatisfaction with his administration. Mass protests have exploded around the country. These protests are driven by economic struggles and concerns over the possible extension of military powers during his regime.
The protests gained momentum following the tragic death of 21-year-old motorcycle delivery driver Affan Kurniawan, which resonated deeply with citizens facing economic challenges. As the protests have escalated, so have the tensions between protesters and law enforcement. The protest death toll, according to reports, has reached seven. As protests erupted, a recurrent demand of the people was their undeniable disappointment with Parliament’s failure to respond to the hardships faced by ordinary Indonesians.
In a bid to quell the turbulence, President Subianto moved quickly to restore confidence by cutting prominent members of the cabinet. This was true of the Finance Minister, Sri Mulyani Indrawati. That cabinet shake-up has since forced out their ministers of cooperatives, of youth and of sport. It even forced the minister in charge of protecting migrant workers to resign. These revisions are intended to mitigate worries about the administration’s capacity and/or willingness to handle the public complaints.
Prabowo Subianto, a former special forces military general, has in recent weeks come under fire for his past. The visa revocation followed accusations of perpetrating human rights abuses in Venezuela. In the lead-up to last year’s elections, he worked feverishly to rescript that narrative. The protests today pose a grave threat to the legitimacy of his administration. In the process, they question its integrity and more so its devotion to focusing on the needs of citizens.
To bring back order, President Subianto has had no choice but to go strong. He banned a few perks members of Congress had gotten used to, like foreign travel, and grounded most of their international trips. The housing allowance passed in 2022 was almost ten times the size of Jakarta’s minimum wage. This decision was another spark for the people’s fury as citizens faced the brunt of skyrocketing inflation.
President Subianto initially reacted to the unrest by ordering security forces to crack down. As the Guardian recently revealed, he intentionally zeroed in on demonstrations he felt reflected “treason and terrorism.” His administration is at a momentous turning point. It needs to figure out how to keep the peace and protect the real interests of its people.
