Will President Prabowo Reshuffle His Cabinet in August?

TheIndonesia.co - Speculation over a possible cabinet reshuffle has resurfaced in Indonesia, but the Presidential Palace insists President Prabowo Subianto has no plans to overhaul his Cabinet next month.

State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi dismissed the reports ahead of a plenary cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday.

"A reshuffle? Why has this issue come up again?" Mr Prasetyo told reporters.

Asked about reports that a cabinet reshuffle could take place in August, he replied: "No, there are no such plans. There is no reshuffle issue."

Presidential Special Adviser for Communications Hasan Nasbi also downplayed the speculation, saying decisions on cabinet appointments rested solely with the President.

"How would we know about that?" Mr Hasan said when asked about the reports.

The denials came after Suara.com reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo was among the ministers being considered for replacement if a reshuffle were to take place next month.

One source said internal tensions within the Ministry of Public Works had become a factor in discussions over Mr Dody's future.

"President Prabowo does not like ministers who create public controversy or unnecessary political noise," the source said.

The source added that the President also takes into account a minister's relationship with subordinates when assessing their performance.

"Several reports concerning the Public Works Minister have already been submitted to the President. There is a possibility of a reshuffle in August," the source claimed.

A second source also said cabinet changes had been discussed, describing Mr Dody as one of the ministers most likely to be replaced.

According to the source, no final decision has been made on a successor. While the replacement could come from the Democratic Party, to which Mr Dody belongs, the President could also appoint a professional or a senior civil servant from within the ministry instead.

The source further claimed that another minister inherited from the previous administration, who is currently facing a separate controversy, could also be affected by any future reshuffle.

"President Prabowo intended to give ministers two years after taking office to prove their performance. If they fail to meet expectations, they will be replaced," the source said.

Ministry faces growing scrutiny

The Ministry of Public Works has been under increasing public scrutiny in recent weeks following the leak of an official travel document outlining Mr Dody's planned visit to the United States.

The itinerary, dated 29 June 2026, showed the minister was scheduled to attend the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on the Midterm Review of the New Urban Agenda in New York between 13 and 19 July.

The trip drew criticism after the leaked document listed Mr Dody's wife and child as members of the delegation.

The disclosure prompted questions on social media over whether public funds were being used to finance family members' travel. The controversy intensified as the visit coincided with a major international sporting event, leading some online commentators to accuse the minister of taking advantage of an official trip for personal purposes.

Neither the Presidential Palace nor the Ministry of Public Works has indicated that the controversy is linked to any decision regarding Mr Dody's position. The Palace continues to maintain that no cabinet reshuffle is currently planned.