Daniel A. Fajri, Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has ratified Law Number 61 of 2024, which amends Law Number 39 of 2008 concerning the State Ministry. This revised law was signed on October 15, 2024, and promulgated by the State Secretary Minister Pratikno on the same day.
The fundamental changes introduced in the revised State Ministry Law include the addition of a new article, Article 6A, inserted between articles 6 and 7. Article 6A stipulates that, under certain conditions, the formation of separate ministries can be based on government sub-sectors or specific details of government affairs, provided they are related to the overall scope of government affairs.
Another new article, Article 9A, has been inserted between articles 9 and 10. This article empowers the President to modify the organizational elements specified in the implementing regulations as needed for effective government administration.
Article 15 has also been amended to state, "The total number of ministries established shall be determined according to the needs of government administration by the President." Previously, the provision limited the total number of ministries to 34.
This amendment allows President-elect Prabowo Subianto to increase the number of ministries.
As previously reported, Prabowo has already met with ministerial candidates, deputy minister candidates, and other potential officials in separate events at Jalan Kertanegara, South Jakarta. A total of 49 figures were summoned on Monday, October 14, 2024, followed by another meeting with 59 individuals on the next day.
The Gerindra chief patron justified the need for a larger government cabinet by citing the example of Timor Leste, a country with a population of around 1.3 million but a cabinet of 28 ministers. He attributed this to the coalition nature of the government.
"The coalition is forced to be large. People might say, 'Wow, Prabowo's cabinet is big, with many ministers.' But our country is big, too!" Prabowo remarked during the BNI Investor Daily Summit 2024-Forum, As quoted from Youtube Investor Daily TV on October 10, 2024.