Minister Of Trade Muhammad Lutfi Predicted Will Be Reshuffled, Here's The Profile And Various Controversy

Minister of Trade, M. Lutfi. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of Trade)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) summoned Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi to the State Palace yesterday, when the issue of the reshuffle or reshuffle of the Indonesian Maju Cabinet volume II became stronger. Trade Minister Lutfi is said to be the one who will be kicked out.

After facing President Jokowi, Lutfi was efficient in speaking. In fact, when asked by the media crew about the reshuffle issue, Lutfi was reluctant to answer. He rushed into his car and left the Palace.

Actually, this reshuffle issue is certainly not the first time I've heard of it. President Jokowi himself has often dismantled ministerial positions in his working cabinet.

The last reshuffle was carried out in 2020. At that time, Jokowi replaced the position of Minister of Health Terawan Agus Putranto with Budi Gunadi Sadikin. Then, the Minister of Trade Agus Suparmanto was replaced by Muhammad Lutfi.

Prior to serving as Minister of Trade, Lutfi was the Indonesian Ambassador to the United States. Muhammad Lutfi was officially sworn in as a minister at the end of 2020.

At that time, Lutfi felt very honored to have been given the opportunity by President Jokowi to lead the Ministry of Trade. He promised to work optimally, especially in improving the national economy in the future.

"I promise to work as hard as possible, as smart as possible, as well as possible to ensure that the Indonesian economy will be better in the future," he said at the State Palace in Jakarta, Tuesday, December 22 2020.

Profile of the Minister of Trade Muhammad Lutfi

Lutfi's career in government began in 2005. When he held a ministerial-level position, namely as Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) for the period 2005-2009.

The man who was born in Jakarta, August 16, 1969, has also served as the Indonesian Ambassador to Japan and the Federated States of Micronesia for the 2010-2013 term.

In 2014, Lutfi was trusted to serve as Minister of Trade during the administration of Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) and Vice President Boediono for several months, for the term of 14 February to 20 October.

Then, on December 14, 2020, during the Jokowi-Ma'ruf Amin government, he was appointed Indonesian Ambassador to the United States. However, he held that position for only a short time, because on December 23 of the same year, President Jokowi appointed Lutfi as Minister of Trade.

Lutfi graduated from Purdue University, Indiana, United States in 1992. He is also known as an entrepreneur in Indonesia. In fact, his journey as an entrepreneur is also fairly smooth.

Lutfi is also noted to have served as Chairman of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association for a Better Jakarta (Hipmi Jaya) for the period 1998-2001. Then, Lutfi was also noted to have held the position of Chairperson of the DPP Hipmi 2001-2004.

He also briefly founded a company called Mahaka Group with his friend who is also the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir in the Jokowi government. Wishnu Wardhana and Harry Zulnardy were also included.

In the company which is engaged in mining, finance, and media, Muhammad Lutfi serves as President Director and CEO.

The Three Controversy of Trade Minister Lutfi

The VOI team summarizes the three controversies of the Minister of Trade Lutfi that have become the public spotlight. The following is a brief discussion:

1. Pigs in China Make Soybean Imports Expensive

Trade Minister Lutfi was in the spotlight when the domestic supply of soybeans was problematic. Indonesia has experienced problems related to soybeans since February 2022. Limited supply has made the price rise from late 2021 to early 2022.

One of the reasons that has been in the spotlight is that the Trade Minister Lutfi said that pigs in China also played a "role" for the lack of soybean supply in Indonesia. He said there are five billion pigs on Chinese farms that are fed soy.

The reason for the Minister of Trade Lutfi had made a lot of noise and became a hot discussion on social media, because the Ministry of Trade was considered only looking for reasons related to the scarcity of soybeans.

2. Rare Cooking Oil, Blame Panic Buying

The controversy over the scarcity of domestic cooking oil has been a topic of discussion since late 2021. The Minister of Trade Lutfi has again been in the spotlight and has received criticism from various parties for frequently asking controversial questions.

Lutfi had said that one of the factors that caused the supply chain problem and the need for cooking oil to be complicated was because people were panic buying. According to him, people are worried that it will be difficult to get cooking oil, so they are buying it in droves.

"I urge the public not to panic buying, buy what is necessary," he said in a statement, Saturday, March 12.

3. Still About Cooking Oil, No Power Against the Mafia

Once again, the Minister of Trade Lutfi is in the spotlight in handling the cooking oil problem in the country. He admitted that the Ministry of Trade had no power to control the existence of the cooking oil mafia and he also apologized.

Lutfi said that his party had no power to fight these irregularities because of the limited willpower in the law. Therefore, he handed over this issue to the food task force formed by the National Police.

"Later on, I asked the Food Task Force to fight these greedy and evil mafias. We must do this together," said Lutfi.