Raline Shah Extends Artist List In Government, Cabinet Trend Of Obesity Continues

Special Staff of the Minister of Communication and Technology for Global Partnership and Digital Education of the Ministry of Communication and Digi, Raline Shah participated in the inauguration at the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, Jakarta, Monday (13/1/2025). (ANTARA/Asprilla Dwi Adha/foc)

JAKARTA The position of special staff (Staffsus) has returned to the public spotlight after the Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Komimidigi) Meutya Hafid appointed Raline Shah as staff for the Ministry of Global Affairs and Digital Education of the Ministry of Communication and Industry.

The Indonesian people know Raline Shah better as an artist in the country. There is no need to doubt what he did in the entertainment world. However, when his name was appointed as the Kemkomdigi Special Staff, the public doubted his ability.

Raline Shah did not turn a blind eye that his presence in President Prabowo Subianto's government invited pros and cons among the community.

"Thank you media friends. It seems disappointing that there are more artists in the government. Hopefully, his work will not disappoint," said Raline Shah in her Insta Story.

However, he still asked for community support so that he could carry out his duties well during his tenure in the Ministry of Communication and Trade.

A total of five director generals and a number of special staff and staff of the Ministry of Komkomdigi were sworn in on Monday (13/1/2025). Apart from Raline Shah, there are other names that are in the spotlight in the training, namely Rudi Sutanto as Special Staff to the Minister of Communication Strategic Affairs.

Netizens suspect Rudi Susanto is the same person as Rudi Valinka, who is a buzzer in the era of President Joko Widodo's administration. Rudi is also said to have an X account, formerly Twitter, with the name Kurawa.

Responding to this issue, Minister of Trade Meutya Hafid admitted that he did not know that Rudi Susanto was Rudi Valinka.

"I don't know. Rudi Sutanto, who I know, Rudi Sutanto. So I don't want to speculate about who Rudi Sutanto is, who from the CV we received, is also a communication strategy. So also coloring in this ministry, because ministry is also not only digital but also in the field of communication," said Meutya.

Meanwhile, Raline Shah is the son of Rahmat Shah, a senior businessman and politician in North Sumatra. His appointment as a staff member at the Ministry of Communication and Trade adds to the length of the artist who enters the government.

Previously, there was Raffi Ahmad who served as Special Envoy for the President for the Development of the Young Generation and Art Workers in the Red and White Cabinet (KMP). Raffi was inaugurated based on Presidential Decree Number 76/M of 2024 concerning the Appointment of Special Envoys for the President of the Republic of Indonesia in 2024-2029.

There is also Yovie Widianto who is known to the public as a musician. Until now he is still a member of Kahitna and Yovie & Nuno. Yovie became part of the KMP after being inaugurated as the Presidential Special Staff for Creative Economy based on Presidential Decree Number 75/M of 2024.

Then there is Giring Ganesha, the former vocalist of the band Nidji, who is now Deputy Minister of Culture and motivator Merry Riana who is a staff member of the Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono.

Political observer Dedi Kurnia Syah actually does not tolerate the existence of Raline Shah or other artists in the government environment as long as his capacity is needed.

However, according to him, the position occupied by Raline Shah is not a standard position, but an addition made by the minister. That way, this will affect the budget and performance.

"On the one hand, it will overlap with other positions, as well as about public trust which is not strong enough in composition in the Ministry of Communication and Industry," said Dedi to VOI.

President Prabowo Subianto's Red and White Cabinet has been in the spotlight since it was first inaugurated in October last year because it is considered 'fat'. A total of 48 ministers have been inaugurated by the president, this figure is far more than Jokowi's 34-ministerial cabinet.

In addition to inaugurating 48 ministers, Prabowo also inaugurated 56 deputy ministers, bringing the total to 106 ranks of ministers and deputy ministers in the KMP. Prabowo's cabinet composition is also referred to as the fattest cabinet since the New Order.

Dedi Kurnia Syah said that Prabowo's obesity cabinet, which has drawn criticism since last year, should not be continued in the ministry. In addition, when a minister has many staff members, Dedi believes that there is something wrong with the ministry.

"In the composition of the cabinet, it should be more compact," said Dedi.

"Moreover, personally the field led by Raline has been included in the director general's scope, if the minister requires a lot of special staff, this actually marks if Prabowo makes the wrong choice, because the minister is certainly not capable enough," he added.

A similar statement was made by a public policy observer from Trisakti University, Trubus Rahadiansyah. He said the background of the staff filled by artists, buzzers, and close-door ministers showed a closed and non-transparent election process.

In fact, said Trubus, this position has a role in providing advice to ministers on certain issues. So that staff should be filled by professionals, such as academics or technocrats, who do have competence and capacity in their fields.

"But the current process is more of a political interest, such as distributing office cakes. Maybe they are people who used to help and be instrumental, it could also be entrusted or someone close to the minister who made the minister comfortable," Trubus said.