Bantah Palace Budi Gunawan Removed Due To Riots In Several Regions

JAKARTA - Minister of State Secretary (Mensesneg) Prasetyo Hadi, who is also a spokesman for the President, denied the assumption that Budi Gunawan was removed as the coordinating minister for politics and security (Menko Polkam) due to a series of riots on August 28' 30 in Jakarta and several areas.

Pras, as Prasetyo is called, explained that President Prabowo Subianto dismissed Budi Gunawan as the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, not for specific reasons, for example such as riots between the masses and officers in several areas, some of which were colored by arson and looting.

"Nothing then because of something very specific. This is all part of a thorough evaluation (from the President, ed.)," said Pras as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, September 8.

President Prabowo, as stipulated in Presidential Decree (Keppres) Number 86P of 2025, dismissed Budi Gunawan as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs as of September 8, 2025.

In the same Presidential Decree, the President also dismissed Ario Bimo Nandito Ariotedjo as Minister of Youth and Sports. The dismissal of the two was announced at the inauguration of ministers and deputy ministers as a result of the red and white Cabinet reshuffle at the State Palace, Jakarta, Monday afternoon.

However, President Prabowo has not yet determined the name that will fill the chair of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.

"With regard to the position of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, for the time being, the President has not definitively appointed who he will assign to the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs so that for the time being he will appoint an interim," said Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi.

Prasetyo also has not been able to divulge the names of the temporary officials, nor the candidates for the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs who will later be elected by President Prabowo.

"Wait, it will be announced later," said Pras, Prasetyo's popular greeting.

On the same occasion, when asked about the possibility of Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin being concurrently in his position as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs or the possibility of Sjafrie becoming an interim official, Pras has not been able to answer the question.

"Wait a minute. This has not been signed. We cannot convey it," continued Pras.

At the State Palace, Monday afternoon, President Prabowo inaugurated four ministers and one deputy minister, namely Purbaya Yudhi Sadive as Minister of Finance (Menkeu) replacing Sri Mulyani Indrawati, then Mukhtarudin as Minister of Protection for Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI)/Head of the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) replacing Abdul Kadir Karding, Ferry Joko Juliantono as Minister of Cooperatives replacing Budi Arie Setiadi, and also inaugurating Mochamad Irfan Yusuf Hasyim as Minister of Hajj and Umrah along with Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak as Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah.

The appointment of four ministers and one deputy minister was determined by President Prabowo in the same presidential decree for the dismissal of Budi Gunawan and Dito Ariotedjo.