Indonesia president targets 'innovative' cabinet, taps Gojek CEO

IndonesianPresidentJoko Widodo said on Monday he wanted "innovative" ministers in hiscabinetfor a second term, as the co-founder of tech startupGojeksaid he would join and a former chairman of Inter Milan soccer club was tipped for a post.

The make-up of thecabinetis being closely watched to see how many are technocrats, who are more likely to fall in with Widodo's reform agenda. Party-affiliated candidates are seen more at risk of falling back on traditional loyalties.

There has also been speculation that Widodo's challenger in April's bitterly foughtpresidential election, Prabowo Subianto, or other members of the opposition could join.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Widodo had been expected to announce his line-up on Monday but this was likely to be delayed until Wednesday, according to Mahfud MD, a former head of the Constitutional Court, who said he was interviewed for a post at the palace on Monday.

"I want appointed ministers to be figures who are innovative, productive, as well as be hard and fast workers. Figures who are not stuck in monotonous routines," Widodo said in a Twitter message.

There has been no official announcement but Mahfud told Kompas TV at thepresidential palace: "On Wednesday, we are all invited to be announced to all of you, we were called one by one today." He said a swearing-in was scheduled at 9 A.M. (0200 GMT) Wednesday.

Mahfud, who was at one stage expected to be the vicepresidential running mate of Widodo, has been linked in media to the post of law and human rights minister.

All of the candidates said thepresidenthad asked them to join thecabinet, but they declined to confirm the positions offered.

Nadiem Makarim, 35, the chief executive ofIndonesian ride-hailing and payments firmGojek, was another visitor at the palace.

"I have received a big honour to be able to join thecabinetof thepresident," Makarim told reporters.

He said his specific role would be announced by thepresidentlater, but he has been linked to a possible post in a new digital economy ministry or in education.Gojeksaid the company'spresidentAndre Soelistyo and its co-founder Kevin Aluwi would take over the leadership of the $10 billion unicorn.

Widodo's election campaign manager Erick Thohir, 49, the chairman of media business Mahaka Media, was also at the palace. Shares of Mahaka Media soared 20 per centon Monday on expectations that Thohir, a former chairman of Italian soccer club Inter Milan, was joining thecabinet. Thohir said he would resign from his role in his company if appointed to thecabinet.

Widodo has been besieged by "extremely intense" jockeying for posts as he sought to build acabinetof technocrat ministers, apresidential adviser has said, declining to be named.

Ryan Kiryanto, an economist at Bank NegaraIndonesia, said he was not concerned about any impact on the markets or economy of a delay in announcing thecabinet, instead seeing it as "reflecting carefulness" by thepresidentin his selections.

Widodo, 58, has pledged to cut red tape and keep building infrastructure to underpin growth in Southeast Asia’s largest economy, but also made improving education a top priority to encourage investment and create jobs for a youthful population of 260 million people.

At his swearing in on Sunday, he said: "This will be a big problem if we fail to create enough job opportunities."

Airlangga Hartarto, the current industry minister, was among a string of potential candidates meeting thepresidentat the palace.

He said he had discussed how to narrowIndonesia's trade deficit, with elaborating on any role. He has been linked in media to the job of coordinating minister for economic affairs.

Widodo has previously said respected finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati would retain a position in thecabinet, but gave no further details.

Thepresidenthas also been meeting with opposition leaders and some media reports have suggested retired general Prabowo could serve as defence minister. Widodo said after meeting Prabowo at the palace earlier this month they had discussed the possibility of Prabowo's party Gerindra joining the government coalition.