Jakarta. Golkar Party politician Dito Ariotedjo on Monday took his oath as the new sports and youth affairs minister, replacing Zainudin Amali.

This makes the 32-year-old Dito the youngest minister in President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s Onward Indonesia cabinet. Education Minister Nadiem Makarim (38) previously held the youngest cabinet minister title.

Before taking the ministerial post, Dito was a special staff at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, which was led by Golkar Party chairman Airlangga Hartarto. 

In 2021, Dito teamed up with media personality Raffi Ahmad and exotic car businessman Rudy Salim to establish RANS Sport. He was the chef de mission of the Indonesian contingent at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Argentina. He is the chairman of the RANS Nusantara FC football club, and also a commissioner at the RANS PIK Basketball club.

Dito is the son of Arie Prabowo Ariotedjo, the former president director of state miner Antam.

“I swear by Almighty God to be loyal to the 1945 Constitution. I will carry out all regulations as strictly as possible, as I bear true allegiance to this nation,” Dito read his oath of office at the State Palace in Jakarta.

“I will uphold work ethics, do my utmost best, and embrace the greatest sense of responsibility when carrying out my duties,” Dito said.

Zainudin previously stepped down from his ministerial post to become the deputy chairman of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI). Airlangga had given Jokowi three names that could become the new sports minister. Aside from Dito, the two other names were Golkar’s Youth Wing chair Ilham Permana and lawmaker Puteri Anetta Komarudin.  

At Monday’s ceremony, Jokowi also officially appointed Comr. Gen. Rycko Amelza Dahniel as the new head of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT). Rycko replaces Comr. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar who is retiring. Rycko was part of the National Police's criminal investigation unit who conducted the raid against terror fugitive Dr Azahari and his group in Batu, Malang, in 2005.