President Joko Widodo carried out a mini cabinet reshuffle, inaugurating Democratic Party Chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono as Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency in a ceremony at the State Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.
Agus, who will sit on the post for the remainder of the 2019-2024 cabinet term of President Joko Widodo, replaced Hadi Tjahjanto, who was at the same time promoted to be Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.
“Before I take the oath regarding your appointment as Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency, I will ask you, are you willing to take the oath?” Jokowi said, asking Agus to take the oath before being inaugurated.
“Willing,” Agus replied.
“By Allah, I swear that I will be loyal to the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia and will carry out all laws and regulations as straightforwardly as possible for the sake of my service to the nation and state,” Jokowi said, reading out the oath which Agus immediately followed during the inauguration.
Agus, the eldest son of sixth President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has now officially replaced Hadi Tjahjanto, who was also inaugurated to lead the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs on the same day.
Hadi was appointed as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs to replace Mahfud MD, who had tendered his resignation prior to the February 14, 2024 presidential election.
Emrus Sihombing, a political expert and lecturer at the Pelita Harapan University, said the appointment of Agus as Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning/Head of the National Land Agency is a compensation for Democratic Party’s support for Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuning Raka pair in the 2024 presidential election.
“We see Democrats in the coalition of Prabowo-Gibran supporters. Of course, every political support is nothing gratuitous, there is no such free lunch. Democrats are in Jokowil’s political line. It is very natural to get a ministerial post.”said Emrus.
The inclusion of Democrat party into Joko Widodo’s government will strengthen the coalition of Jokowi’s supporters in parliament in the middle of the call for the House of Representatives (DPR) to excercise its rights of inquiry on the possible fraud in the 2024 electios.
“Parties grouped in the coalition of Prabowo-Gibran will disagree with the proposed inquiry, but the coalitions of parties that support Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD and Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar will,” Emrus concluded.
