AHY Appointed to New Role by Prabowo, Replacing Luhut in High-Speed Rail Committee

President Prabowo Subianto has officially appointed Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, as Chair of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail Committee (KCJB). The appointment marks a leadership change from Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, who held the same position during President Joko Widodo’s administration. The appointment is outlined in Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 29 of 2026, which amends the second version of Presidential Regulation No. 107 of 2015 concerning the Acceleration of Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail Infrastructure and Facilities. The regulation was signed by President Prabowo on 12 May 2026 and took effect immediately. Under the new regulation, the government has adjusted the committee’s composition to align with the structure of ministries and agencies in the Red and White Cabinet. Article 3A states that AHY, currently serving as Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, is appointed committee chair. Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto has been named deputy chair. The committee also includes several ministers and strategic officials: Foreign Minister Sugiono, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi, Investment and Industrialisation Minister/BKPM Head Rosan Roeslani, Land Affairs and Spatial Planning Minister/BPN Head Nusron Wahid, BPI Head Danantara, and Head of the State-Owned Enterprise Investment Management Agency. The government has also updated the committee’s duties and powers to oversee the high-speed rail project. Under the new regulation, the committee is tasked with approving measures to address joint venture obligations in the event of project cost overruns. This includes modifying ownership shares, adjusting loan terms, and revising required financing. The committee also has authority to determine government support mechanisms for cost overruns, such as state capital participation (PMN) for the BUMN consortium or government guarantees if needed for project funding. Additionally, Presidential Regulation No. 29 of 2026 revises Article 15 governing the coordination of the high-speed rail project. Under the new provision, coordination of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail infrastructure and facilities falls under AHY’s authority as committee chair. Previously, under Presidential Regulation No. 93 of 2021, President Joko Widodo appointed Luhut Binsar Panjaitan as committee chair. At the time, Luhut, serving as Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, was tasked with coordinating the project’s acceleration and receiving regular reports from the BUMN consortium overseeing the project. Under the new regulation, AHY now holds a central role in overseeing the operational and financial sustainability of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Rail project, including addressing potential funding and cost overrun issues.