Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto is expected to have a larger cabinet than his predecessor, Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. Reports suggest that Prabowo will appoint at least 44 ministers, compared to Jokowi’s 34, making it the largest cabinet since 1998.
Prabowo formed a broad coalition during the election, securing support from four major parties. Despite this, the parties backing him received fewer votes than the PDI-P in the legislative elections.
To expand his coalition, Prabowo rebranded it as KIM Plus, bringing in parties that previously supported his rivals. The coalition aims to secure upcoming regional elections in key constituencies but is not aligned in some regions.
Prabowo believes that opposition is not in line with Indonesian culture. However, a government without opposition poses risks, as seen in countries like Singapore and Bangladesh.
Lessons from these countries suggest that a government without opposition could lead to economic growth but also risks public unrest and economic stagnation. Indonesia must consider the trade-offs between economic prosperity and political freedom.