Long-serving Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani removed in sudden Cabinet reshuffle

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has appointed economist Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa as the country's new finance minister, replacing Dr Sri Mulyani Indrawati in an abrupt Cabinet reshuffle that comes in the wake of violent protests and looting of lawmakers' homes.

- Arlina Arshad

The reshuffle also affects four other ministerial posts and creates a new Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

"Based on various developments, inputs and continuous evaluations carried out by the President this afternoon, he has decided to make changes to the composition of the Red and White Cabinet in several ministerial positions," State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi told reporters on Sept 8.

"May this decision bring goodness for the nation, the state and the people," he added.

Dr Purbaya is a veteran technocrat and chairman of the Indonesia Deposit Insurance Corporation. He holds a degree in electrical engineering from the Bandung Institute of Technology, and a master's and doctorate in economics from Purdue University in Indiana in the US.

Responding to reporters' questions on the removal of Dr Sri Mulyani, Mr Prasetyo said that as head of government, President Prabowo has the prerogative to make Cabinet changes and, after evaluation, he decided to reshuffle the line-up.

Dr Purbaya, 61, has held senior government roles, including deputy for maritime sovereignty coordination at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs, and economic special staff to the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.

He said his immediate focus is to accelerate economic growth, and ensure that government spending is efficiently deployed.

"The President's message is to create economic growth as fast as possible. That is what we will work on going forward," he told reporters after his appointment.