Five years ago, I wrote an article arguing that the Indonesian government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was undermined by its anti-expertise and anti-science attitude. Nowadays, such an attitude is rampant across all parts of the current government under President Prabowo Subianto.
The current “Red and White Cabinet” clearly demonstrates this anti-expertise sentiment. The cabinet is full of ministers without expertise in their respective portfolios, with a lack of relevant education and experience. Their lack of expertise has already had far-reaching consequences.
Take, for example, the current minister of foreign affairs, Sugiono. Before him, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) had been led by career diplomats for most of its history, especially in the last 20 years. The foreign ministers during this period – Hassan Wirajuda, Marty Natalegawa, and Retno Marsudi – all had academic degrees in international relations or international law, had served in MoFA for decades, and had led diplomatic missions to other countries as Indonesian ambassadors. Their education and experience had developed their capacity to become the country’s top diplomat.
Compare that to Sugiono. Before being appointed as minister, his previous career included a 2-year stint of military service during which he rose to the rank of first lieutenant, personal secretary to Prabowo, and member of Prabowo’s Gerindra political party. He has a bachelor’s degree in computer science and master’s degrees in business and management, neither of which is directly relevant to his work at the Foreign Ministry. His only encounter with foreign affairs was during his tenure as a member of parliament in 2019-2024, during which he was assigned to the first commission of the House of Representatives (DPR) that oversees foreign affairs.
