January 28, 2026 | 02:55 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Aljabar Strategic Indonesia Executive Director Arifki Chaniago stated that the vacancy in the Deputy Minister of Finance position, following Thomas Djiwandono's appointment as Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia, potentially serves as an entry point for a cabinet reshuffle. According to Arifki, political dynamics frequently lead to broader shifts in cabinet personnel.
"In politics, empty seats rarely remain a technical matter; they often become a wild card that triggers evaluations in other positions," Arifki told Tempo on January 28, 2026.
The analyst, who focuses on political dynamics and government policy, highlighted that the Deputy Finance Minister position is strategically vital, meaning its vacancy suggests the president is re-evaluating the cabinet's overall effectiveness.
This has sparked rumors regarding other potential reshuffles, including discussions initiated by the House of Representatives (DPR). "This vacancy could create a domino effect; it doesn't mean a reshuffle will definitely expand, but it opens the door for the president to simultaneously make adjustments in other ministries," he noted.
According to Arifki, whether a reshuffle expands depends entirely on President Prabowo Subianto's discretion. If Prabowo opts for a minimal approach, the replacement may be limited to the deputy minister level. However, if Prabowo determines that other sectors require strengthening, reshuffling additional ministers becomes a rational choice.
"This is often referred to as a time for comprehensive improvement; the president could utilize one vacant seat to rearrange multiple positions," Arifki said.
He noted that the year 2026 makes this issue particularly sensitive as the cabinet enters a phase of proving its worth. During this period, tolerance for suboptimal performance tends to diminish. "In a year of performance trials, one issue is rarely treated as a singular problem; it is usually read as part of the bigger picture," he remarked.
Arifki emphasized that a reshuffle remains the sole prerogative of the president. The vacant Deputy Finance Minister seat is poised to create unease among other cabinet members. "But it is clear that the vacant Deputy Finance Minister seat is enough to shake the political radar; from this, interpreting a reshuffle among other ministers becomes reasonable," he stated.
The House of Representatives (DPR) approved Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Djiwandono as the Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia for the 2026-2031 term. The approval was finalized during the 12th plenary session of the DPR, attended by 339 out of 580 parliament members.
Prabowo's nephew officially assumed the position previously held by Juda Agung. As of this writing, Prabowo has not announced a successor for the Deputy Finance Minister position left vacant by Thomas.
Thomas Djiwandono was elected after undergoing a fit-and-proper test for the BI Deputy Governor post conducted by the DPR's Commission XI. His two competitors were the Head of the Macroprudential Policy Department of Bank Indonesia, Solikin Juhro, and the Head of the Payment System Policy Department of Bank Indonesia, Dicky Kartikoyono. Thomas Djiwandono's name was announced as the new Deputy Governor of BI less than 30 minutes after he completed the series of tests.
Alfitria Nefi Pratiwi contributed to the report.
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