IPR Reveals Why Defence Minister Sjafrie Has a Chance of Entering the 2029 Presidential Candidate Race
Jakarta, VIVA – Executive Director of Indonesia Political Review (IPR), Iwan Setiawan, considers it reasonable that Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin’s name is beginning to be discussed as a potential candidate in the 2029 presidential race.
According to Iwan, Sjafrie is one of the key figures in President Prabowo Subianto’s administration, with a strategic role that extends beyond the defence and security sector alone.
“Sjafrie’s name appearing on the presidential candidate radar is logical. We can see how his performance and role have been quite central in the Prabowo-Gibran administration today,” Iwan said in a statement on Thursday, 19 February 2026.
Iwan added that Sjafrie is also one of the ministers who has received considerable trust from President Prabowo to lead strategic national agendas, including serving as Chairman of the Forest Zone Enforcement Task Force (Satgas PKH).
The task force was established through Presidential Regulation Number 5 of 2025 and has a mandate to address illegal land occupation in forest zones, including unlicensed palm oil plantations and mining operations.
“The Forest Zone Enforcement Task Force is focused on reclaiming illegal lands and enforcing the law against the misuse of forest zones. The target is clear — to return millions of hectares of land to state assets,” he explained.
Furthermore, Iwan assessed that the government’s actions through the task force have had a significant impact on preventing potential state losses.
Nevertheless, Iwan stressed that Sjafrie’s chances of running as a presidential candidate in 2029 are highly dependent on future political dynamics, particularly regarding President Prabowo’s decisions.
“Realistically, however, it would be very difficult for Sjafrie to run if Prabowo Subianto is still standing for a second term. It would be impossible for him to run against Prabowo, given that Sjafrie is one of the President’s most trusted ministers,” he concluded.