President Prabowo Subianto has appointed Deputy Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Dony Oskaria as acting SOEs minister following Erick Thohir’s transfer to lead the Youth and Sports Ministry.

The appointment was confirmed by State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi at the Presidential Palace on Friday, September 19, 2025. Erick was sworn in as youth and sports minister two days earlier, leaving the SOEs ministerial seat vacant.

“On the president’s directive, and after coordinating with the SOEs Ministry, Deputy Minister Dony Oskaria has been assigned to carry out the minister’s duties,” Prasetyo said.

According to Prasetyo, Doni’s dual role as deputy minister and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the sovereign wealth agency Danantara made him the right choice to accelerate reforms.

“With Doni holding both positions, we hope restructuring and consolidation of state-owned companies currently being handled by Danantara and the SOEs Ministry can proceed more quickly and in a more integrated manner,” he added.

The appointment letter was signed on September 17, 2025, the same day Erick was inaugurated as youth and sports minister. Dony will serve as acting minister until a definitive appointment is made.

Possible merger with Danantara

Prasetyo hinted at a structural overhaul, saying the government was considering merging the SOEs Ministry with Danantara, which under the newly revised SOEs Law No. 1/2025 has been tasked with executing and managing investments as well as operating holdings.

Danantara now controls dividend management, restructuring plans, holding formation, and reporting to the House of Representatives, while the SOEs Ministry retains the role of strategic policymaker and holder of the golden share (Dwiwarna).

However, the growing overlap between the two bodies has fueled speculation that the SOEs Ministry could eventually be dissolved.

“Discussions are still ongoing, but consolidation is being studied for efficiency and better governance,” Prasetyo said.

SOEs ministry’s future

Business circles and policy experts have questioned whether the SOEs Ministry is still relevant under the new framework. According to sources quoted by Indonesia Business Post, Erick Thohir’s departure as minister could be the right moment to fold the ministry into Danantara.

The new law also stipulates that state-owned enterprises’ assets are no longer classified as separated state assets but as private institutional property, a significant shift in Indonesia’s state enterprise governance model.