Jakarta. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Monday held a major cabinet shake-up that appointed Budi Arie, the head of the pro-Jokowi volunteers group Projo, as the new communication and informatics minister, thus officially replacing Johnny G Plate who had been caught in a graft scandal.

Budi Arie was formerly the deputy minister for village and underdeveloped regions. Monday’s cabinet shake-up also introduced former journalist Nezar Patria as the deputy communication minister.

Paiman Raharjo, the rector of Moestopo University, also became the new deputy minister for the villages and underdeveloped regions. Paiman also led the Pro-Jokowi group Sedulur Jokowi in the 2019 election.

Pahala Mansury, a banker who has been serving as the deputy minister for state-owned enterprises (SOEs) since 2020, will accompany Indonesia’s top diplomat Retno Marsudi as her deputy minister. 

The vice-ministerial post at the Foreign Affairs Ministry has been vacant since the predecessor Mahendra Siregar became the Financial Services Authority (OJK) chairman in July 2022.

Rosan Roeslani, the Indonesian ambassador to the US, now assumes Pahala’s post at the SOE Ministry.

The cabinet reshuffle also made Saiful Rahmat Dasuki, who chairs the Jakarta chapter of the United Development Party (PPP), as the vice minister for religious affairs.

Jokowi also announced Djan Faridz and Gandi Sulistiyanto as the new members of the Presidential Advisory Council.

Djan was a former public housing minister during Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s era. Gandi was previously the Indonesian ambassador to South Korea.

“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,” the freshly picked government officials said as they read their 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,” they said.

Read More: Mahfud MD to Take Over Johnny G Plate’s Job Following Graft Case