Prabowo Appoints Jumhur Hidayat as Minister of Environment

President Prabowo Subianto has appointed Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat, Chairman of the All-Indonesian Labour Confederation (KSPSI), as the Minister of Environment (LH). The appointment ceremony took place at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday (27/4). Through this appointment, Jumhur will replace Hanif Faisol, who has now been assigned by Prabowo as Deputy Minister Coordinator for Food Affairs. Jumhur has a long history as an activist in labour groups. He is known to have founded the Indonesian Workers’ Welfare Foundation (YKPI) and the Independent Indonesian Workers’ Union Federation (Gaspermindo). He was subsequently involved in several other labour organisations, such as the Indonesian Drivers’ Union Federation (Gapersi) and the Indonesian Wholesale Mobile Traders’ Association. Jumhur was previously trusted by the sixth President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, as Head of the Agency for the Placement and Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers. He held that position for seven years from 2007 to 2014. In the 2014 Presidential Election, Jumhur shifted to become a volunteer for Joko Widodo as Coordinator of the Free People’s Alliance (ARM). However, his political stance differed in 2019 when he supported Prabowo. In 2020, Jumhur, a senior figure in the Coalition for Action to Save Indonesia (KAMI), was arrested by police in connection with an alleged case of spreading false news. He became entangled in a criminal case after posting his opinion on his Twitter or X account criticising the ratification of the Job Creation Bill into law on 7 October 2020. Jumhur described the Job Creation Bill as being issued for primitive investors and greedy entrepreneurs. He was subsequently sentenced to 10 months in prison in that case.