Prabowo Subianto, who assumed the presidency late last year, has faced renewed questions about the loyalty of his cabinet after a steady stream of his ministers who are allied with Joko Widodo was seen visiting the former president in his residence. - Bloomberg
JAKARTA: President Prabowo Subianto faces pressure to assert his leadership amid concerns over the persisting influence of his predecessor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, whose son and cabinet loyalists have carved for themselves a niche in the new government.
Prabowo, who assumed office late last year, has faced renewed questions about the loyalty of his cabinet after a steady stream of his ministers who are allied with Jokowi was seen visiting the former president in his residence in Surakarta, Central Java, in recent weeks.
Adding to the controversy, two ministers visiting Jokowi two weeks ago for an Idul Fitri event publicly referred to the former president as their “boss” despite them now serving under Prabowo.
The visits took place when Prabowo was away for his five-country tour of the Middle East and amid rumours of an imminent cabinet reshuffle after Aidilfitri, which the Presidential Palace and Prabowo’s Gerindra Party had denied.
The wave of visits to the former president has extended beyond incumbent ministers, with top military and police generals, as well as regional leaders, including East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa, being among the latest visitors last week.
Gerindra secretary-general Ahmad Muzani has defended the ministers’ visits to Jokowi, whose son is Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as part of the Aidilfitri tradition of visiting elders, saying that: “There is no issue of [dual loyalty]. The cabinet remains solid.”
Analyst Nicky Fahrizal from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), however, believes the visits are more than mere courtesy calls and that they represent Jokowi’s lingering influence despite no longer holding office.
“It is a clear sign that his power is still very much present,” Nicky said. “There’s still a strong sense that Jokowi’s network, from ministers to mid-level bureaucrats, remains active and loyal.”
Questions about the extent of Jokowi’s influence over the Prabowo administration emerged well before Aidilitri, as the former president occasionally hosted meetings and a video call with government officials and political figures from his home in Surakarta.
But Nicky noted how the recent visits came after Prabowo met Megawati Soekarnoputri, who is the chairwoman of the de facto opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and Jokowi’s former matron-turned-rival.
“It was a direct response, almost a show of strength,” Nicky said. “By visiting Megawati, Prabowo acknowledged her continued relevance. In response, Jokowi’s allies shifted the spotlight to Surakarta, reinforcing that his influence hasn’t faded.”
Analyst Adi Prayitno from Parameter Politik Indonesia saw the visits as part of a broader “consolidation effort” amid rumours about a post-Aidilfitri cabinet reshuffle, which might have sparked worries among Jokowi’s circle over the potential entry of the PDI-P into the cabinet.
“He is reminding everyone that he still commands loyalty, especially from ministers who still see him as a key figure, even though they are serving under Prabowo,” Adi said.
Analysts say Prabowo needs to demonstrate stronger leadership now, or else his grip over his own cabinet will slip and public doubts about who is truly steering the country will grow.
“Prabowo needs to be more present in the day-to-day running of the cabinet,” said Nicky, noting that the President has been “more visible on the international stage rather than domestically.”
“If he wants to project real authority, he needs to be seen leading at home, chairing cabinet meetings, responding directly to controversies and publicly owning major policy decisions,” he added.
Cutting Jokowi out of the picture is not the answer, Nicky said. "It would only destabilise the very foundation that helped Prabowo win the election some six months ago: Jokowi’s political infrastructure, loyal network and grassroot support."
Analyst Firman Noor of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), however, is of the opinion that concerns about too many chefs are overblown, saying that an overlapping influence is unlikely because Jokowi’s allies occupy only a small portion of the Prabowo cabinet.
Yet Firman echoed calls for stronger leadership from the President, saying that the real challenge facing him is not the lingering influence of his predecessor, but his own inconsistent policy direction. “What people need now is clarity and a more coherent foundation for Prabowo’s programmes and policies,” he added. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
