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Who are the newly sworn-in ministers?

(Kompas

The Jakarta Post
Wed, August 12, 2015

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Who are the newly sworn-in ministers? (Kompas.com)" height="390" border="0" width="780">(Kompas.com)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced the changes to his Cabinet on Wednesday at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.

The changes are as follows; the former chief of the Presidential office Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan is the new coordinating political, legal and security affairs minister, replacing Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno; former Bank Indonesia governor Darmin Nasution is the new coordinating economic minister, replacing Sofyan Djalil; former coordinating economic minister Rizal Ramli is now coordinating maritime affairs minister, replacing Indroyono Soesilo; former official of the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (BPPN) Thomas Trikasih Lembong is the new trade minister, replacing Rachmat Gobel; senior PDI-P politician Pramono Agung is the new Cabinet secretary, replacing Andi Widjajanto; while Sofyan Djalil has been made the new national development planning minister, replacing Adrinof Chaniago.

The ministers were sworn in at 1 p.m. only a few hours after the announcement circulated in the media.

Below are profiles of the newly appointed ministers

Luhut Binsar Panjaitan (Kompas.com/Danu Kusworo)Luhut Binsar Panjaitan (Kompas.com/Danu Kusworo)

1. Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

Luhut was born in North Sumatra on Sept. 8, 1947. Luhut is a 1970 graduate of the National Military Academy and earned a master’s degree in public administration from George Washington University, US, in 1991.

Luhut had a solid military career. He was a commander of the Army’s Special Forces’ (Kopassus) education center in Bandung, West Java. He became a three-star general after being appointed as chief of the Army’s education and training division in 1997. He was also involved in the army’s special operations in Kalimantan, East Timor (now the nation of Timor Leste) and Irian Jaya (now Papua).

After he retired, he was appointed as the Indonesian ambassador to Singapore in 1999.

This is not the first time Luhut has been a member of the Cabinet. He was appointed as the trade and industry minister in the administration of Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid in 2000.

Luhut is known to have a close relationship with Jokowi. He resigned from his position in the Golkar Party to join Jokowi’s presidential campaign team. After Jokowi became president, Luhut was appointed as the chief of staff of the Presidential office.

Apart from his military career, the father-of-four is also involved in sports and business. He became the head of the Indonesian Karate-Do Federation (FORKI) in 2001 and he is also a president commissioner of local pulp and paper company PT Kiani Kertas.

Pramono Anung (Antara)Pramono Anung (Antara)

2. Pramono Anung

Pramono was born in Kediri, East Java, on Jun. 11, 1963. He graduated from the Bandung Institute of Technology in 1988. He got a master’s degree in management from Gadjah Mada University in 1992 and a doctoral degree from the University of Padjadjaran, Bandung, in 2013.

Before entering politics, he worked for numerous companies. His latest position was the president commissioner of publicly listed Yudhistira Group

He is a seasoned politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). He has represented that political party in the House of Representatives since 1991. He was named the best House member in 2000.

Darmin Nasution (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)Darmin Nasution (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)

3. Darmin Nasution

Darmin, who was born on Dec. 21, 1948, in North Sumatra, is not new to economics.

With a doctoral degree from the Sorbonne University in Paris Darmin has a strong academic background to support his career.

He was appointed as the director general of taxation at the Finance Ministry in 2006 during the administration of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY).

After that, he was appointed as the central bank’s senior deputy governor in 2009, replacing Miranda Gultom, who faced corruption charges. Not long after that, SBY appointed him as the central bank’s governor.

Despite Darmin’s solid career, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has raised a red flag about his appointment as a minister as he could be implicated in future graft cases. According to the KPK, Darwin has been questioned over his alleged involvement in a high-profile tax scandal involving major lender Bank Central Asia. Darmin was questioned as a witness in his capacity as the former director general of taxation.

Thomas Trikasih Lembong (setkab.go.id)Thomas Trikasih Lembong (setkab.go.id)

4. Thomas Trikasih Lembong

Thomas is a successful businessman with a solid career in many international companies. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in 1994. He worked for Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley. In 2000, he was appointed as the head of division and senior vice-president for the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (BPPN), which was tasked with restructuring bad assets taken over from troubled banks following the aftermath of the Asian economic crisis in the late 1990s.

The World Economic Forum named him a Young Global Leader in 2008.

Despite his background analysts have questioned his appointment, arguing that Thomas does not have enough experience to deal with import and trade policies.

Sofyan Djalil (Antara)Sofyan Djalil (Antara)

5. Sofyan Djalil

Sofyan was born in Aceh on Sept. 23, 1953. He graduated from the faculty of law at the University of Indonesia in 1984 and pursued a master’s degree in public policy and international economic relations at Tufts University, Massachusetts, US. He also earned a doctoral degree in international financial and capital market law and policy from the same university in 1993.

Before joining Jokowi’s Cabinet, Sofyan was a minister in SBY’s administration. He was given two ministerial posts during SBY’s administration. At first, he was the state-owned enterprises minister and later he was appointed the state minister for information and communication.

Apart from his career in government, Sofyan is also active in the business community. He has been a member of the Good Corporate Governance National Committee since 2001. He has also been an independent commissioner of drug firm Kimia Farma since 2003 and is a managing partner of Sofyan Djalil & Partners.

Sofyan became better known publicly after he joined Jusuf Kalla’s presidential campaign team in 2004, and is known to have a close relationship with Jusuf Kalla.

Rizal Ramli (Antara)(Kompas.com)<)

(Kompas.com)

President Joko '€œJokowi'€ Widodo announced the changes to his Cabinet on Wednesday at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.

The changes are as follows; the former chief of the Presidential office Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan is the new coordinating political, legal and security affairs minister, replacing Tedjo Edhy Purdijatno; former Bank Indonesia governor Darmin Nasution is the new coordinating economic minister, replacing Sofyan Djalil; former coordinating economic minister Rizal Ramli is now coordinating maritime affairs minister, replacing Indroyono Soesilo; former official of the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (BPPN) Thomas Trikasih Lembong is the new trade minister, replacing Rachmat Gobel; senior PDI-P politician Pramono Agung is the new Cabinet secretary, replacing Andi Widjajanto; while Sofyan Djalil has been made the new national development planning minister, replacing Adrinof Chaniago.

The ministers were sworn in at 1 p.m. only a few hours after the announcement circulated in the media.

Below are profiles of the newly appointed ministers

Luhut Binsar Panjaitan (Kompas.com/Danu Kusworo)
Luhut Binsar Panjaitan (Kompas.com/Danu Kusworo)

1. Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.

Luhut was born in North Sumatra on Sept. 8, 1947. Luhut is a 1970 graduate of the National Military Academy and earned a master'€™s degree in public administration from George Washington University, US, in 1991.

Luhut had a solid military career. He was a commander of the Army'€™s Special Forces'€™ (Kopassus) education center in Bandung, West Java. He became a three-star general after being appointed as chief of the Army'€™s education and training division in 1997. He was also involved in the army'€™s special operations in Kalimantan, East Timor (now the nation of Timor Leste) and Irian Jaya (now Papua).

After he retired, he was appointed as the Indonesian ambassador to Singapore in 1999.

This is not the first time Luhut has been a member of the Cabinet. He was appointed as the trade and industry minister in the administration of Abdurrahman '€œGus Dur'€ Wahid in 2000.

Luhut is known to have a close relationship with Jokowi. He resigned from his position in the Golkar Party to join Jokowi'€™s presidential campaign team. After Jokowi became president, Luhut was appointed as the chief of staff of the Presidential office.

Apart from his military career, the father-of-four is also involved in sports and business. He became the head of the Indonesian Karate-Do Federation (FORKI) in 2001 and he is also a president commissioner of local pulp and paper company PT Kiani Kertas.

Pramono Anung (Antara)
Pramono Anung (Antara)

2. Pramono Anung

Pramono was born in Kediri, East Java, on Jun. 11, 1963. He graduated from the Bandung Institute of Technology in 1988. He got a master'€™s degree in management from Gadjah Mada University in 1992 and a doctoral degree from the University of Padjadjaran, Bandung, in 2013.

Before entering politics, he worked for numerous companies. His latest position was the president commissioner of publicly listed Yudhistira Group

He is a seasoned politician from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). He has represented that political party in the House of Representatives since 1991. He was named the best House member in 2000.

Darmin Nasution (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)
Darmin Nasution (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)

3. Darmin Nasution

Darmin, who was born on Dec. 21, 1948, in North Sumatra, is not new to economics.

With a doctoral degree from the Sorbonne University in Paris Darmin has a strong academic background to support his career.

He was appointed as the director general of taxation at the Finance Ministry in 2006 during the administration of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY).

After that, he was appointed as the central bank'€™s senior deputy governor in 2009, replacing Miranda Gultom, who faced corruption charges. Not long after that, SBY appointed him as the central bank'€™s governor.

Despite Darmin'€™s solid career, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has raised a red flag about his appointment as a minister as he could be implicated in future graft cases. According to the KPK, Darwin has been questioned over his alleged involvement in a high-profile tax scandal involving major lender Bank Central Asia. Darmin was questioned as a witness in his capacity as the former director general of taxation.

Thomas Trikasih Lembong (setkab.go.id)
Thomas Trikasih Lembong (setkab.go.id)

4. Thomas Trikasih Lembong

Thomas is a successful businessman with a solid career in many international companies. He earned a bachelor'€™s degree from Harvard University in 1994. He worked for Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley. In 2000, he was appointed as the head of division and senior vice-president for the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (BPPN), which was tasked with restructuring bad assets taken over from troubled banks following the aftermath of the Asian economic crisis in the late 1990s.

The World Economic Forum named him a Young Global Leader in 2008.

Despite his background analysts have questioned his appointment, arguing that Thomas does not have enough experience to deal with import and trade policies.

Sofyan Djalil (Antara)
Sofyan Djalil (Antara)

5. Sofyan Djalil

Sofyan was born in Aceh on Sept. 23, 1953. He graduated from the faculty of law at the University of Indonesia in 1984 and pursued a master'€™s degree in public policy and international economic relations at Tufts University, Massachusetts, US. He also earned a doctoral degree in international financial and capital market law and policy from the same university in 1993.

Before joining Jokowi'€™s Cabinet, Sofyan was a minister in SBY'€™s administration. He was given two ministerial posts during SBY'€™s administration. At first, he was the state-owned enterprises minister and later he was appointed the state minister for information and communication.

Apart from his career in government, Sofyan is also active in the business community. He has been a member of the Good Corporate Governance National Committee since 2001. He has also been an independent commissioner of drug firm Kimia Farma since 2003 and is a managing partner of Sofyan Djalil & Partners.

Sofyan became better known publicly after he joined Jusuf Kalla'€™s presidential campaign team in 2004, and is known to have a close relationship with Jusuf Kalla.

Rizal Ramli (Antara)
Rizal Ramli (Antara)

6. Rizal Ramli

Rizal Ramli was born on December 10, 1948 in Padang, West Sumatra. He is an economist who graduated from Boston University, US, with a PhD in economics in 1990.

His academic background has supported his bold track record as an economist. After he got back from the US, he founded the ECONIT Advisory Group as an independent economic think-tank with several of his colleagues.

This is not Rizal'€™s first time in the Cabinet. Rizal was the coordinating economic minister and finance minister in the administration of Gus Dur. Before that, he was the head of the State Logistics Agency (BULOG) in 2000.

Rizal become one of the most vocal critics of SBY's administration. (edn/nov/ika)(++++)

compiled from various sources.

 

 

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