Why Palace Is Confident New Finance Minister Will Succeed
Palace Sees Continuity in Suahasil Nazara’s Finance Ministry Appointment
Kabarsaji.com – Indonesia’s newly appointed finance minister, Suahasil Nazara, is expected to bring both institutional knowledge and economic expertise to the role as President Prabowo Subianto reshapes his cabinet.
Muhammad Qodari, head of the Government Communications Agency, said the government is confident that Suahasil can sustain economic growth while protecting fiscal stability. His assessment rests on Suahasil’s academic credentials as well as his lengthy experience inside the Finance Ministry.
“We are very confident that Mr. Suahasil will perform very well in carrying out his duties as finance minister,”
Qodari made the statement on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, following Suahasil’s promotion from deputy finance minister. The appointment came one day after Prabowo carried out a cabinet reshuffle, replacing Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa with Suahasil on Monday, September 14, 2026.
Academic and Government Experience
Qodari highlighted Suahasil’s background as a professor of economics at the University of Indonesia as one reason he is viewed as prepared for the position. The finance minister’s job requires decisions that affect public spending, revenue, government borrowing, and the broader direction of the national economy, making economic expertise especially relevant.
His academic career is paired with extensive practical experience in fiscal administration. Before becoming finance minister, Suahasil served as deputy finance minister for roughly six to seven years. He had also led the Fiscal Policy Agency, giving him experience in an area central to the preparation and direction of fiscal policy.
“He knows the ins and outs of the Finance Ministry very well because he spent around six to seven years as deputy finance minister. Before that, he also served as head of the Fiscal Policy Agency here,”
That familiarity could provide continuity at a time when changes in cabinet leadership often draw attention to whether existing programs and budget priorities will remain on track. A minister who has already worked within the ministry’s senior ranks enters the role with knowledge of its internal processes, policy responsibilities, and fiscal planning framework.
The State Budget Remains Central
For Qodari, Suahasil’s experience is particularly important because the state budget, known as the APBN, is one of the government’s principal tools for supporting economic activity while safeguarding stability.
The APBN finances government priorities and serves as the framework for public expenditure and fiscal management. Its credibility matters not only for implementing programs but also for maintaining confidence in the government’s ability to manage national finances responsibly.
“That is one of Mr. Suahasil’s strengths, especially in a situation like this. Of course, the state budget is one of the important instruments to drive the economy while maintaining Indonesia’s economic stability,”
The challenge for the new minister will be to balance those two functions. Fiscal policy can support growth through government programs and spending, but the budget must also remain sustainable and trusted. The government has signaled that maintaining that balance will be central to Suahasil’s mandate.
Prabowo’s Third Finance Minister
Suahasil becomes the third person to serve as finance minister during Prabowo’s administration. He follows Sri Mulyani Indrawati and Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, whose removal in the September 14 cabinet reshuffle opened the position.
The change elevates a figure who had already been directly involved in the ministry’s leadership. Rather than bringing in an outsider, the president selected the sitting deputy finance minister, a decision that places an emphasis on experience within the existing fiscal institution.
After taking office, Suahasil said Prabowo had given him a clear instruction: preserve the soundness and trustworthiness of the state budget so that priority government initiatives can continue to receive funding.
“The state budget, as part of state finances, must be able to fund the government’s priority programs. Therefore, the state budget must be healthy and credible. The state budget must be trusted,”
What the Appointment Signals
Suahasil’s appointment places fiscal credibility at the center of the government’s message. The emphasis on a healthy and reliable APBN suggests that the administration sees budget management as inseparable from its ability to pursue its wider policy agenda.
For the public, the finance minister’s work extends beyond ministry operations. Decisions involving the state budget shape the government’s capacity to fund priority programs and influence how it responds to economic conditions. Maintaining stability while encouraging growth is therefore a core test for the new minister.
Qodari’s confidence reflects the view that Suahasil’s combination of economic scholarship, experience as deputy finance minister, and previous leadership of the Fiscal Policy Agency gives him the foundation to take on that task. The coming period will show how he translates that experience into stewardship of Indonesia’s state finances.
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