Jakarta. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Monday appointed two close aides of his successor, Prabowo Subianto, to replace ministers linked to the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in a cabinet shakeup conducted just two months before his retirement.

Justice Minister Yasonna Laoly and Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif were dismissed from the cabinet. 

Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia was appointed to replace Arifin, and his vacated post was taken by Rosan Roeslani, who previously served as the head of Prabowo’s presidential campaign team.

Supratman Andi Agtas, an executive of Prabowo’s Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), was appointed as the new justice minister.

In addition, the president appointed Angga Raka Prabowo as the vice minister of communication and informatics.

Yasonna, a long-time PDI-P executive, has served as justice minister since Jokowi's first presidential term began in October 2014. He resigned from the post in October 2019 after being elected as a House of Representatives member but was reappointed justice minister after just three weeks.

Arifin has declared himself as an independent with no political party affiliate but his past appointment was reportedly based on PDI-P's recommendation.

The president has distanced himself from PDI-P since his son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, became the running mate of Prabowo ahead of the February presidential election. He and PDI-P Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri have never met in person since.

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