IO – Nadiem Makarim and Bahlil Lahadalia officially hold new positions in the Onward Indonesia Cabinet. President Joko Widodo (“Jokowi”) has appointed them as Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology and Minister of Investments, respectively. Apart from Nadiem and Bahlil, Jokowi appointed Laksana Tri Handoko as the Head of the National Research and Innovations Agency (Kepala Badan Riset and Inovasi Nasional – “BRIN”), in accordance with the Decree of the President of RI Number 72P/2021 concerning the Establishment and Modifications of Ministries and the Appointment of Ministers in the 2019-2024 Onward Indonesia Cabinet.
Minister of State Secretariat Pratikno declared that Bahlil and Nadiem’s appointments followed the change in nomenclature approved by the House of Representatives (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat – “DPR”) on Friday, 9 April 2021. The Plenary Meeting to Close DPR Term IV of office 2020-2021 held on that day in the Parliamentary Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, has approved the change of nomenclature in three Ministries, i.e. the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Research and Technology, and the Ministry of Investments. DPR granted its permission after its Steering Committee discussed the Letter of the President Number R-14/ Pres/03/2021 concerning Considerations for Modifying Ministries.
The appointment was held in the Presidential Palace, Central Jakarta, on Wednesday (28/04/2021). The ceremony started with the playing of the national anthem, the Indonesia Raya, followed by the reading out of the Presidential Decree. Afterwards, a member of the clergy accompanied Nadiem and Bahlil as they recited the vows of office under Jokowi’s lead: “In the name of Allah, I swear that I shall remain faithful to the Constitution of UUD 1945 and I shall implement the rules of the Law as straightforwardly for the sake of my devotion to the State and the Nation,” they said. “I swear that in discharging of my duties and bearing my position, I shall respect the ethics of my position and I shall work the best way I can with the utmost sense of responsibility.”
After their appointment, Nadiem and Bahlil received congratulations from Jokowi, followed by the rest of the attendees.
Before his appointment as the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Nadiem was the Minister of Education and Culture. His new position as the Ministry of Education and Culture is merged with the Ministry of Research and Technology, while BRIN is separated as an independent agency. Bahlil was previously the Head of the Investments Coordination Agency (Badan Koordinasi Penanaman Modal – “BKPM”), while Laksana Tri Handoko was the Head of the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia – “LIPI”). As stated above, the DPR has previously approved all these changes. (des)