How Did Indonesia's Palace Respond to the Shadow Cabinet?

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Presidential Palace responded to the existence of the Shadow Cabinet as a counterpart to the Red and White Cabinet under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto. The Shadow Cabinet is an initiative of civil society to monitor the government.

The State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi stated that the government will study the formation of this alternative cabinet. "All those with good intentions, anyone who wants to provide good input, we certainly accept and are always grateful," said Prasetyo at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Monday, July 20, 2026.

The Vice Chair of the Gerindra Party stated that the most important thing is that the input is based on a constructive spirit. He likened the government's process to a football team. "As a football team, everyone must be compact, work together, work hard for each other. Even then, it does not necessarily end with victory," said Prasetyo.

However, the former member of the People's Representative Council requested that his analogy not be misunderstood. "As in a football match. Do not interpret it otherwise," he said.

The civil society coalition formed the Shadow Cabinet as a counterpart to the Red and White Cabinet. The Cabinet consisting of activists, academics, and experts will prepare alternative policies while monitoring the government.

The Chair of the Shadow Cabinet Selection Committee, Feri Amsari, stated that the formation of this cabinet was motivated by the weakening of checks and balances mechanisms against the government. Nevertheless, he emphasized that the Shadow Cabinet is not aimed at taking over power.

"The Shadow Cabinet is a platform for monitoring and preparing evidence-based alternative policies, working pro bono, and is non-partisan," said the lecturer from the Faculty of Law at Andalas University in a written statement on Friday, July 17, 2026.

According to Feri, the Shadow Cabinet adopts the concept of a zaken cabinet, which is filled with individuals chosen based on their expertise, not as representatives of political parties. Of the 121 applicants and 102 names proposed by civil society networks, Feri said the panelists finally selected 15 ministers who will be counterparts to Prabowo's ministers.

Each minister in the Shadow Cabinet will be the direct counterpart to a minister in the red and white cabinet. Thus, said Feri, every government policy will be reviewed and provided with alternatives based on their respective fields, not just general criticism.

Here is the composition of the Shadow Cabinet:

1. State Secretary Minister: Feri Amsari
2. Minister of Home and National Security: Armand Suparman
3. Foreign Minister: Shofwan Al-Banna Choiruzzad
4. Defense Minister: Curie Maharani
5. Minister of Women's Rights and Marginalized Groups: Khoirunnisa Nur Agustyati
6. Minister of Law and State Policy: Yance Arizona
7. Minister of Economy: Media Wahyudi Askar
8. Minister of Finance and Budget Governance: Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara
9. Minister of Environmental Protection and Climate Change: Iqbal Damanik
10. Minister of Education and Culture: Iman Zanatul Haeri
11. Minister of Research, Technology, and Digital: Nenden Sekar Arum
12. Health Minister: Irma Hidayana
13. Minister of Social and Basic Services: Nabiyla Risfa Izzati
14. Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty: Isnawati Hidayah
15. Cabinet Secretary: Ahmad Jilul Q.F.

Dian Rahma Fika and Novali Panji Nugroho contributed to the writing of this article.

Read: Key Facts About Indonesia's Shadow Cabinet Formed by Civil Society

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