President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Thursday, July 18, 2024, installed three deputy Cabinet ministers − Thomas Djiwandono, Sudaryono and Yuliot Tanjung − only three months before the end of his second term of presidency.
Two of the vacant posts are delegated to close relative and confidante of Defense Minister and President-elect Prabowo Subianto, while the third is entrusted to a career employee.
Thomas Djiwandono, the nephew of Prabowo Subianto, was installed as Deputy Minister of Finance. Born in Jakarta on May 7, 1972, he is the first child of Soedradjad Djiwandono and Biantiningsih Miderawati. Biantiningsih is the older sister of Prabowo, while Soedradjad Djiwandono was Governor of the Indonesian Central Bank (BI) Bank Indonesia during the Soeharto presidency.
Thomas earned a bachelor degree in history from Haverford Colloge, Pennsylvania, the United States. He got his master’s degree in International Relations and International Economics at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, Washington, the U.S.
He began his professional career as a financial analyst at Whetlock NatWest Securities, Hong Kong, before he joined the Arsari Group of businesses, owned by his uncle Hashim Djojohadikusumo, in 2006 until today.
Thomas has been active in the Prabowo-led Gerindra Party as Chief Treasurer. He was also a legislative candidate of Gerindra for West Kalimantan Province.
A second post was delegated to Sudaryono, a Gerindra Party politician currently serving as Chairman of the party’s Central Java chapter. He was installed as Deputy Minister of Agriculture.
Born in Grobogan, Central Java, on January 23, 1985, Sudaryono is the only child of Yahyo, a farmer, and Suwarni, a housewife. He attended the Indonesian Army-run Taruna Nusantara High School, Magelang, graduating in 2003. He then joined the National Defense Academy of Japan and graduated in 2009.
Sudaryono earned an MBA degree from the Swiss German University, Tangerang, in 2018 and his doctoral degree from the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB) in 2023.
His professional career began in 2014 as Corporate Secretary at Nusantara Energy before he was named CEO of Garuda TV in 2018.
Since 2021, Sudaryono has been serving as Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Market Traders (APPSI) and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Indonesian Fighting Traders (Papera). Apart from providing advocacy to traders regarding market issues, he also provides solutions for traders who are entangled in capital debt to loan sharks, through APPSI and Papera.
Sudaryono’s political career began as personal assistant to Gerindra Party Chairman Prabowo Subianto. In 2020, he served as Deputy Secretary General of Gerindra Party before being elected chairman of its Central Java Chapter.
The third post − Deputy Minister of Investment/Deputy Head of the Investment Coordinating Board − was entrusted to career employee Yuliot Tanjung.
Born in Padang Panjang, West Sumatra, on October 7, 1963, Yuliot earned a bachelor’s degree in Livestock Production from State Andalas University in West Sumatra and an MBA degree from Jakarta-based PPM School of Management.
Yuliot’s career at the Ministry of Investment/BKPM began in 1988. He later served as Head of the BKPM Representative Office in Taiwan, Head of Planning and Information Bureau, Director of Domestic Promotion, Director of Implementation Control, and Director of Deregulation.
Prior to his appointment as Deputy Minister of Investment, Yuliot held the functional position of Principal Expert Investment Manager at the Ministry of Investment/ BKPM.
“Previously, Yuliot served as Deputy for Investment Implementation Control from September 2023 to June 2024.” Spokesperson for the Minister of Investment/Head of BKPM, Tina Talisa, said.
During his time as Deputy, Yuliot focused on achieving investment realization and facilitating the resolution of investment problems faced by companies. Earlier, Yuliot served as Deputy for Investment Climate Development from October 2020 until September 2023.
