Prabowo Comments on Jokowi's Appointing Ally as Deputy Minister

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto said he was content with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo's assigning Wahyu Sakti Trenggono as his deputy minister.

"[That’s] good, good. [I’m] happy," said Prabowo shortly while giving his thumbs up after attending the inauguration of the deputy ministers of the Indonesia Onward Cabinet at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Friday, Oct. 25.

Prabowo said he had talked with Trenggono about their future synergy in the ministry.

The deputy minister, meanwhile, said he had never worked with the former military general, yet he was sure he could fit in with the Gerindra Party's chief patron in carrying out his new tasks. "I think it’s possible, our chemistry can match."

The appointment of Trenggono as the Deputy Defense Minister has seized the public spotlight. Trenggono was a former general treasurer of Jokowi’s campaign team, whereas Prabowo was their political rival in the 2019 presidential election.

Trenggono is a renowned entrepreneur in the telecommunications sector; he is nicknamed the King of Towers. He once joined the National Mandate Party (PAN) as a treasurer during the era of Hatta Rajasa around January 2010. He was then frequently linked to Hatta, who then served as the Coordinating Minister for the Economic Affairs.

Wahyu Sakti Trenggono became inactive at the party in 2013 and later joined the Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla’s campaign team in the 2014 presidential election.

AHMAD FAIZ