President Prabowo defends large cabinet size as efficient

President Prabowo Subianto has addressed criticisms regarding the size of his administration, which currently includes 49 ministries, 49 coordinating ministers, 57 deputy ministers, and 11 minister-level officials. During a plenary cabinet meeting at the Merdeka Palace, Prabowo argued that the scale of the government is appropriate given Indonesia's vast territory and population of nearly 300 million people.

To illustrate his point, Prabowo compared Indonesia to Europe, noting that the European continent consists of approximately 30 countries, each with its own finance ministers, military commanders, and police chiefs. He argued that having a single cabinet to manage a territory of Indonesia's scale is actually more efficient than the fragmented leadership found in Europe. He also referenced Timor-Leste, noting its population is smaller than many Indonesian provinces or even regencies.

Prabowo emphasized that the large coalition aims to unite various political forces to improve citizens' lives. He cited the government's ability to coordinate responses to natural disasters—including earthquakes, volcanic activity from Mount Anak Krakatau, and forest fires in North Sumatra—as evidence of the cabinet's effectiveness and cohesion.