Indonesia Onward Administration

ABK

Azyumardi Azra

The administration of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has been formed. The selection of Indonesia Onward as their Cabinet’s name signifies its five-year orientation of achieving progress in Indonesia.

Observing the format and composition of ministers in the Indonesia Onward Cabinet, people may ask: To what extent will the Indonesia Onward administration be successful in carrying out its mission to achieve progress in Indonesia?

Borrowing Jokowi’s statement in his inauguration speech as 2019-2024 president on Oct. 20, will the Indonesian Onward administration be able to deliver and fulfill its promises of implementing a progressive Indonesia? The ministers in the Indonesia Onward Cabinet cannot just send — again, borrowing Jokowi’s statement — messages of hope that turn out to be empty.

Clearly, it is not easy to predict the government’s performance in the next five years because of various influential internal and external factors. However, at least within the next 100 days, as ministers begin to reveal their core agenda, the public may take an educated guesses on where the government is moving to and what opportunities lie ahead.

Ministers must not only be able to deliver, but also go beyond, namely making various significant breakthroughs for progress.

Furthermore, the cabinet’s composition and minister portfolios can provide some insight into whether or not they are able to fulfill their promises. In order to bring progress to Indonesia, ministers must not only be able to deliver, but also go beyond, namely making various significant breakthroughs for progress.

Since the beginning, the Indonesia Onward Cabinet has received criticism. In a critical view, firstly, the Cabinet is deemed “too bulky” with 34 ministers and 12 deputy ministers as well as minister-level officials who will head new agencies, including the National Legislation Agency, the Talent Development and Management Agency, the National Research Agency and the Sharia Economy Agency.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

President Joko Widodo and Vice President Ma\'ruf Amin pose for a photograph with ministers on the front steps of Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (23/10/2019). On that day, President Joko Widodo announced the composition of his Cabinet, which was named the Indonesia Onward Cabinet. On that occasion, the President advised his ministers not to commit corruption and create a system that closed loopholes in corruption.

A bulky Cabinet will raise questions over the bureaucratic reform agenda in the context of creating an effective and efficient Cabinet. Moreover, a bulky administration is not in line with President Jokowi’s previous statement to do away with third-and fourth-echelon positions.

Secondly, the Indonesia Onward Cabinet’s composition reflects the need to accommodate various national political powers. This includes political parties with legislative seats — the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the Golkar Party, the Gerindra Party, the NasDem Party, the National Awakening Party and the Unity Development Party — as well as those without legislative seats, namely the United Indonesia Party and the Indonesian Solidarity Party.

Onward administration is seen by many as a power-sharing maneuver for the sake of political deals or transactions.

On the one hand, this phenomenon reflects power-sharing that can lead to political integration. However, on the other hand, political accommodations that led to the creation of a bulky Indonesia

Onward administration is seen by many as a power-sharing maneuver for the sake of political deals or transactions.

Governments created through political deals, with various hidden political agendas from differing sides, will face difficulties to obtain maximum results to achieve progress. It is not impossible that there will be internal political struggles, both hidden and open.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

Thousands of workers and students rally to commemorate Youth Pledge Day in the Arjuna Wijaya Horse Statue area in Jakarta on Monday (28/10/2019). They also demanded a revision of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law and rejected the draft Criminal Code Bill (RUU KUHP). The demonstrations took place in an orderly fashion.

In the framework of transactional politics, there are gaps of skills and experiences between ministers and deputy ministers. There are deputy ministers without track records or required skills to excel at their ministers. Several other deputy ministers were appointed for the sake of political representation. In such a condition, it is difficult to hope that the ministries will show effective and efficient work.

An administration formed by a bulky coalition may hold promises of stability in governance or even in politics. Even when there are conflicts between political forces in the coalition, they may stay hidden from the public eye.

An administration with a bulky coalition that leaves out the meagre power outside of government (currently comprising the Democratic Party, the Prosperous Justice Party and the National Mandate Party) may not be able to have an effective “opposition”. Such a minority political force, at most, can only offer different political views without actually be a serious threat to the government with all their moves and policies.

It is difficult to hope that the ministries will show effective and efficient work.

However, uproars outside the government, both old and new, may still happen. Sociopolitical protests from people disagreeing with government policies may create disruptions in the early days of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet and may affect political stability.

This can be gleaned from the public reaction to statements of, for instance, ministers with special tasks to counter radicalism. President Jokowi said that Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD and Religious Affairs Minister Fachrul Razi were given the special task to do this. The defense minister and the home minister also implicitly have the same task.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

Former Deputy Commander of the Indonesian Military (TNI) for the 1999-2000 period Fachrul Razi meets the invitation of President Joko Widodo at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday (22/10/2019). Fachrul Razi was later sworn in as the Religious Affairs Minister of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet.

Among Muslim figures, there is a wide range of reactions regarding this task. Many are saying that the statement and task is hyperbolic and tends to corner certain Islamic groups.

Much about the radicalism issue is counterproductive. It is clear that radicalism is an ongoing phenomenon among public circles. However, tackling it cannot be done through statements about symptoms on the downstream. Tackling radicalism must begin in the upstream and involve various ministries and state bodies. The people must also be involved.

President Jokowi must thoroughly observe this dynamics and make the right decision.

Another significant obstruction to progress in the early days of the new administration in the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Law revision. Students and various elements of civil society in many cities are holding protests to urge the President to issue a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) to resolve the matter.

Read more : The KPK Saga

President Jokowi must thoroughly observe this dynamics and make the right decision. Only then can the people be comfortable and optimistic with him, the Indonesia Onward Cabinet and a progressive future for Indonesia.

AZYUMARDI AZRA, History professor, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University; member of AIPI