JAKARTA, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Indonesia’s incoming leader Prabowo Subianto briefed his would-be ministers on Wednesday on economic and geopolitical issues ahead of his Sunday inauguration, his spokesperson said, as his cabinet assessments continued.
Prabowo spokesperson Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said on news channel Kompas TV that the briefing was intended for “the ministers to build a mutual understanding with Prabowo.”
Dahnil said the topics of the briefing revolved around anti-corruption measures and the economy.
The gathering included speakers such as John Mearsheimer, a well-known American political scientist, and Ray Dalio, founder of the world’s largest hedge fund, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Prabowo’s agenda includes accelerating economic growth to 8% from the current 5% while ending poverty and malnutrition in the nation of 280 million people. He is also pushing a multibillion-dollar programme giving free meals to 20 million students.
“Prabowo wants to ensure there is awareness from all ministers, from all his subordinates … to reach the 8% economic growth,” Dahnil said.
Prabowo has also said that he will keep his foreign policy non-aligned to any major power, be it China or the United States.
Several ministers attended the briefing at Prabowo’s residence in the south of the capital Jakarta, including Sri Mulyani and Airlangga Hartarto, the current chief economic minister.
Prabowo warned his ministerial candidates “not to do any corruption,” Nusron Wahid, one of his potential ministers, said after the briefing, which lasted around six hours.
Prabowo also briefed his potential ministers about his administration’s priorities such as how to achieve food self-sufficiency and energy security, as well as poverty eradication, said another candidate Sugiono.
Prabowo, an ex-military commander who won the presidential election in a landslide in February, will be sworn in on Sunday. His vice president is Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the eldest son of outgoing President Joko Widodo.
Sign up here.
Reporting by Stanley Widianto and Ananda Teresia; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan, Christian Schmollinger and Mark Porter
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab