Indonesia’s Prabowo Faces Backlash After Cabinet Shake-Up Amid Deadly Riots
Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto is facing mounting pressure to restore public trust after last month’s deadly riots, which left at least 10 people dead and hundreds detained. The crisis has forced the leader of Southeast Asia’s largest economy to remove several key ministers, including the widely respected Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, while critics say he is also using the moment to consolidate power by installing loyalists.
Deadly Riots Erupt Over Public Discontent
The unrest began with mass protests over low wages, unemployment, and lawmakers’ lavish perks. Tensions escalated after footage of a paramilitary police vehicle running over 21-year-old delivery driver Affan Kurniawan, sparking nationwide outrage.
The riots quickly grew into the biggest challenge of Prabowo’s presidency, with protesters torching buildings and targeting politicians’ homes. Rights groups condemned the crackdown, warning of democratic backsliding.
Prabowo’s Response: Concessions and Cabinet Reshuffle
In an attempt to calm public anger, Prabowo promised strict action against the officers involved in Kurniawan’s death and scrapped controversial housing allowances for lawmakers. He also reshuffled his cabinet on Monday, dismissing five ministers, including Sri Mulyani.
The president appointed Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa as the new finance minister, who pledged to inject an unprecedented $12 billion stimulus package into the economy to spur growth and ease social tensions.
“Prabowo sees this problem as something that needs to be anticipated seriously. He wants to prevent further social damage,” said Airlangga Pribadi Kusman, a political analyst at Airlangga University.
Power Consolidation and Jokowi’s Shadow
Analysts argue that Prabowo is using the crisis not only for damage control but also to sideline figures loyal to former president Joko Widodo (Jokowi). Sri Mulyani, a key figure in Jokowi’s administration, was replaced by Purbaya, who is closely aligned with Prabowo’s long-time ally Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, a fellow ex-military officer.
“Prabowo is slowly consolidating his political power by erasing Jokowi’s influence,” said Virdika Rizky Utama, a political researcher at PARA Syndicate.
State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi defended the reshuffle, saying the new ministers were the “right people for the job.”
Public Trust and the Road Ahead
Prabowo won last year’s election with a strong mandate and entered office with an approval rating above 80 percent. But the riots have revealed deep public frustration with economic inequality, corruption, and weakening democratic institutions.
Experts warn that unless Prabowo addresses these issues, public anger could intensify.
“What we need is determination from the president, political will, and real progress,” said Airlangga.
For many Indonesians, Prabowo’s next steps will determine whether the government can restore stability — or whether the nation risks sliding further into unrest.