Government Spokesman Responds to Controversy Over SOE Commissioner Appointments

Head of the Government Communication Agency (Bakom), Muhammad Qodari, has stressed the importance of commissioners within State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). Qodari stated that appointing commissioners from diverse backgrounds brings new perspectives to the execution of the government’s priority agenda.

Qodari, who previously served as a commissioner at PT Pertamina Hulu Energi (PHE), said the role of a commissioner is crucial for providing direction and safeguarding the government’s agenda. His statement was made in response to the appointment of several SOE commissioners believed to be from groups close to the administration of President Prabowo Subianto.

One appointment that has recently sparked discussion is that of Mufi Budi Ananda, the personal assistant to the Special Envoy of the President for Youth Development and Art Workers, Raffi Ahmad, as a commissioner of PT Krakatau Posco. Another is the appointment of Gina Febriyanti Ginting, a volunteer for Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka during the 2024 presidential election, as a commissioner of PT Pertamina Retail.

“Speaking from my experience at Pertamina Hulu Energi, we can also help to look at alternative solutions,” Qodari said in Jakarta on Saturday, 4 July 2026, as reported by Antara. He added, “Because we come from different backgrounds, we come from outside, there is actually a new perspective that can be brought into the company where we serve as commissioners.”

Qodari remarked that the selection of commissioners for a company is a common practice, not only in state-owned enterprises but also in private corporations. He believes that the presence of commissioners benefits a state-owned company by providing oversight and contributing ideas and concepts. He is confident that those appointed as commissioners typically already possess experience, whether in organisations, government, or the private sector. This experience, according to Qodari, enables them to offer a fresh perspective in their supervisory role within an SOE.

For Qodari, the qualifications for becoming a commissioner in a company boil down to two things. “First, common sense, and second, good intentions,” he said.

Meanwhile, House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani urged that appointments to positions within SOEs be drawn from professional and competent individuals. “Of course, the DPR encourages that in the future, the appointment of commissioners be based on people who are professional and competent,” Puan stated at the MPR/DPR/DPD complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday, 2 July 2026.