Indonesia’s Prabowo plans military academy retreat for new cabinet

JAKARTA, Oct 21 (Reuters) – Indonesia’s new President Prabowo Subianto will take his cabinet members on a three-day retreat at a military academy nestled in a Javanese mountain range, where they will sleep in tents, an unusual start for a government in the Southeast Asian country.

Former special force commander Prabowo was sworn in as Indonesia’s eighth president on Sunday, taking over from Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to lead the world’s third-biggest democracy. He announced his cabinet on Sunday evening and his ministers were to be inaugurated later on Monday.

First on the agenda will be the retreat this weekend at a military academy in Magelang, Central Java, surrounded by volcanoes about 500 km (310 miles) east of Jakarta.

The retreat is aimed at forming a bond between around 100 cabinet ministers and their deputies, a diverse grouping of politicians, technocrats, former military officials and religious leaders, according to Abdul Kadir Karding, migrant protection minister.

Prabowo wants to make sure his cabinet members understand his vision, Karding said.

“So it will be easier for us to work together. (Prabowo) always emphasizes the importance of solidity,” Karding said, noting that an anti-corruption lesson will be part of the material covered at the retreat.

All the ministers will be expected to sleep in tents, he also said.

Cooperatives minister, Budi Arie Setiadi, 55, said the retreat will be held Friday through Sunday, Oct. 25-27.

Such an excursion is not new for Prabowo and reflects his leadership style. His Gerindra political party has often organised similar events at Prabowo’s spacious Hambalang estate south of Jakarta.

Gerindra’s most recent retreat was held in September to prepare elected parliamentary members to be sworn in. Social media posts from the retreat show politicians posing for photographs wearing brown camouflage uniforms, maroon berets and combat boots.

Most Gerindra retreats have consisted of briefings on state ideology and leadership, and outdoor activities such as jogging and light exercises, said 57-year-old Gerindra member Ferry Juliantono, who is Prabowo’s deputy minister of cooperatives. He said Prabowo, 73, himself typically leads the retreats.

Prabowo’s cabinet includes officials continuing on from the administration of predecessor Joko Widodo, such as highly-regarded finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, 62, as well as retired Lt Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, 71, a friend of Prabowo since their military days who is now defence minister.