Disappointment Greets Jokowi's Cabinet Structure

Critics and supporters alike expressing disappointment at President-elect Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's cabinet structure, which will remain at 34 seats with an almost even split between professionals and "professional" political party members.

Jokowi promised several times during the campaign that he would build a lean and professional cabinet. But in a brief press conference on Monday evening, alongside Vice President-elect Jusuf Kalla and flanked by his transition team, he announced a cabinet structure that closely resembles the current one.

"Untuk pemerintahan yang bekerja dan pemerintahan yang hadir di tengah-tengah rakyat, pada sore hari ini telah kita putuskan jumlah kementeriannya ada 34. Yang nanti pembagiannya akan diduduki oleh oleh 18 profesional dan 16 profesional partai," Jokowi said. ("For a government structure that performs, and one that is close to the people, this afternoon we have decided that there will be 34 ministerial positions, which will consist of 18 professionals and 16 professionals from political parties.")

The current Yudhoyono cabinet has 34 positions, 17 of which are occupied by "professionals" or technocrats. This count considers the energy minister to still be a political seat, despite the recent resignation of Jero Wacik, a Democratic Party official, after he was named suspect in a graft case. It also considers the coordinating minister for the economy seat to be filled by a technocrat, Chairul Tanjung, even though it was occuppied by National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Hatta Rajasa up until May 2014, before he ran for vice president with Prabowo Subianto.

Prabowo supporters were quick to point out inconsistencies between Jokowi's campaign promises and Monday's announcement, particularly the president-elect's statement that he would trim the cabinet. (rappler.com)