Teddy Indra Wijaya has enjoyed a windfall of privileges since serving as Prabowo Subianto’s aide. He is now the president’s de facto spokesperson.
TEDDY Indra Wijaya, once a member of the Indonesian Army’s Special Forces Command, should have been defined by the red beret. Instead, his trajectory in power circles has made him look more like a “red carpet soldier.”
And how could he not be? Teddy, the aide of Prabowo Subianto during his tenure as Defense Minister, has been showered with privileges since his boss assumed the presidency. From an aide-de-camp—essentially a barracks assistant—Teddy skyrocketed to Cabinet Secretary, a strategic position within the Presidential Palace’s inner circle.
The problem lies in the fact that the 2011 Military Academy graduate remains an active-duty soldier, even though the cabinet secretary position is not designed for serving members of the Indonesian Military (TNI). Instead of Teddy resigning from military service, the rules themselves were bent to accommodate him.
Through Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 139/2024, the Cabinet Secretariat ceased to exist as an independent body and was integrated into the ministry overseeing state secretarial affairs. Under another Perpres issued that same year, the Cabinet Secretary was placed under the President’s Military Secretariat—one of only 15 civilian institutions where active-duty soldiers are permitted to serve.
This regulatory acrobatics for the former aide extended to his promotions. In March 2025, Teddy—then 35 years old—was promoted from major to lieutenant colonel. The justification? His “outstanding service” in assisting the President.
This is a glaring anomaly. Promotion procedures in the TNI are governed by a number of regulations, including TNI Commander Regulation No. 40/2018, which mandates cycles on April 1 and October 1, except under extraordinary circumstances such as valor on the battlefield—known as extraordinary promotion (KPLB). For Teddy, however, a regular accelerated promotion (KPRP) was applied.
The pace of his rise is difficult to reconcile with standard military benchmarks. Teddy, for instance, has yet to complete the Staff and Command School (Seskoad) education required to become a lieutenant colonel. Furthermore, he has served for only 14 years, while other military academy graduates typically serve at least 18 years before earning the two jasmine stars on their shoulders.
All protests from all sides have been brushed aside. Cabinet Secretary Teddy has only become more prominent in his second year. He is a constant fixture at President Prabowo’s side, from 5am swimming sessions to high-stakes meetings regarding reciprocal tariffs with United States President Donald Trump. Teddy has emerged as the gatekeeper, the central figure determining the agenda and filtering the information that reaches the head of state.
Lately, this former aide has increasingly sought the media spotlight. Teddy now speaks on a wide range of issues, including mocking the “inflation of observers” who criticize President Prabowo’s flagship programs and policies. Handling mass communication is not the job of the Cabinet Secretary—a role that, according to Presidential Regulation No. 55/2020, is strictly limited to administrative duties such as providing cabinet management support to the President and synchronizing ministries and agencies.
Teddy’s current position has strayed far from the behind-the-scenes role he is meant to play. He seems intent on sustaining the media exposure he has relished since the 2024 presidential campaign.
One need only look at his seemingly endless birthday celebrations, staged everywhere from the presidential aircraft and Prabowo’s luxury hotel suite in Paris to the Cabinet Secretariat office in Jakarta. Teddy Indra Wijaya is clearly rolling out the red carpet for his own future on the Indonesian political stage.
