Bogor — President-elect Prabowo Subianto provided guidance to a group of prospective deputy ministers at his residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, on Thursday (October 17), following a similar briefing the day before for prospective ministers. Prabowo’s intent is to ensure a smooth transition from the Jokowi administration and to have his government hit the ground running once inaugurated on October 20, 2024.

Aminuddin Ma’ruf, former Special Staff to President Jokowi, stated that the Prabowo-Gibran cabinet will begin work immediately after the inauguration. One of Prabowo’s key focuses is the continuation of downstream industrialization programs initiated by Jokowi’s administration.

“Prabowo emphasized his commitment to continuing the downstream industrialization in all sectors that were started under Jokowi’s government, as this is crucial for Indonesia to become a great power,” Aminuddin explained.

Prabowo detailed the steps required to transform Indonesia into a developed and powerful nation, including addressing global challenges in defense, security, technology, and the economy. His goal is to elevate Indonesia to the level of other leading nations.

“He elaborated on the strengths and weaknesses of Indonesia, comparing them to other countries,” Aminuddin added, noting that Prabowo aims to leverage Indonesia’s strengths while addressing its weaknesses as challenges that need urgent solutions.

Aminuddin expressed confidence that the transition from Jokowi to Prabowo will be smooth, with the new cabinet ready to work at full capacity immediately after the inauguration.

“InshaAllah, the transition from Jokowi’s government to Prabowo’s will go smoothly. After the inauguration, we will immediately work to the fullest,” Aminuddin said.

Former Mayor of Bogor, Bima Arya, who also attended the briefing, highlighted the importance of aligning the perspectives of cabinet members, who come from diverse backgrounds. This, he said, was necessary to prioritize the government’s agenda moving forward.

“Prabowo pointed out that cabinet members have different backgrounds—activists, cultural figures, politicians—so it’s essential to align their perspectives,” Bima noted.

Bima added that the briefing is an important step in preparing for the government transition. The goal is to ensure that all members, despite their varied backgrounds, understand the government’s programs and objectives.

“The most important thing now is the coordination and collaboration between the various components of this so-called ‘big cabinet,’” Bima said.

Noted lawyer Otto Hasibuan also praised Prabowo’s retreat-style briefing, explaining that it was designed to foster strong teamwork among the future cabinet members.

“Prabowo emphasized that teamwork is essential because no one person can carry the entire burden alone. Without cooperation and teamwork, it will be impossible to achieve the government’s goals,” Otto explained.

The second day of briefings in Hambalang was attended by approximately 59 prospective deputy ministers and heads of government bodies. The closed-door sessions lasted the entire day, from morning until late afternoon. (RR)