Indonesia’s president picks retired general as new security minister after deadly protests

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday appointed a former rival as the new security minister following deadly protests that have been viewed as one of the toughest tests for his presidency.

Subianto, a wealthy ex-general, designated retired Gen. Djamari Chaniago, 77, as the coordinating minister of politics and security to replace Budi Gunawan, who was removed from Subianto’s Cabinet earlier this month without a successor, ending days of speculation about a replacement.

Gunawan was removed after violent protests swept across Indonesia and left 10 people dead in late August.

Public outrage flared in the world’s third-largest democracy after reports that all 580 members of the House of Representatives received a monthly housing allowance of 50 million rupiah ($3,075) in addition to their salaries. The allowance was nearly 10 times the minimum wage in Jakarta.

The protests spread and became more violent following the death of ride-hailing driver Affan Kurniawan, who was hit by a police vehicle.

Five ministers lost their jobs, including Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, a technocrat who had served as the executive director of the International Monetary Fund and managing director of the World Bank.

Subianto didn’t explain the reason for removing the five ministers, but analysts and local media speculated that Gunawan’s dismissal was attributed to his failure to promptly coordinate with other officials including military and police when the unrest broke out. He also was absent from meetings. The issue of his declining health also played a part.

Subianto’s decision to install Chaniago as senior security minister signals the start of his bid to reconsolidate power by replacing underperforming ministers in key positions.

Chaniago was one of seven generals who were members of the Officers Council of Honor, which was set up in 1998 amid an investigation into the kidnapping of activists opposed to then President Suharto during the final days of his rule.

Subianto was a general at the time. The council’s investigation found Subianto guilty of “misinterpreting the orders” of his superiors.

Subianto, the commander of the army’s elite force, Kopassus, was dishonorably discharged in 1998, after its soldiers kidnapped and tortured political opponents of Suharto. Of 22 activists kidnapped that year, 13 remain missing. Several of his men were tried and convicted, but Subianto never faced trial.

He never commented on these accusations, but went into self-imposed exile in Jordan in 1998.

Chaniago replaced Subianto at the time as commander of the Army Strategic Reserve Command in May 1998 in an extremely tense political moment after the fall of Suharto.

“Prabowo needs broad support, including from senior military personnel and the old elite who once stood against him, to realize his big agenda as Indonesia’s new leader,” said Selamat Ginting, a political and military observer from the National University. He added that uniting them is not just a matter of “forgiveness,” but a consolidation strategy to strengthen the legitimacy and stability of the government.

“Those who once ‘punished’ him have now become part of ‘Prabowo accepted by all parties’ narrative,” Ginting said.

At a ceremony at the presidential Merdeka Palace in the capital, Jakarta, Subianto also swore in three other ministers who were removed from the Cabinet without a successor, including Erick Thohir, who moved from his position as minister of state-owned enterprises to minister of youth and sports.

Thohir, a 55-year-old businessman and politician, is viewed as a close ally of former President Joko Widodo. Thohir is also the former owner and chairman of Italian football club Inter Milan and U.S. soccer club D.C. United. He has been the chairman of the Football Association of Indonesia since 2023.