State Secretary Signals Said Iqbal May Join Cabinet

The State Secretary, Prasetyo Hadi, has signalled that the President of the Labour Party, Said Iqbal, may join President Prabowo Subianto’s cabinet. Prasetyo stated that discussions regarding Said Iqbal’s potential inclusion in the government are currently underway.

While he did not specify which position might be offered to the President of the Indonesian Confederation of Trade Unions (KSPI), Prasetyo suggested that the role would be closely related to Said’s background in labour and employment. “It will likely relate to his long-standing struggle for labourers and workers. We are waiting for discussions to determine the most appropriate position,” said the Gerindra Party politician at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Thursday, 4 June 2026.

President Prabowo has previously included another labour union leader, Jumhur Hidayat, the General Chairman of the Indonesian Confederation of All Trade Unions (KSPSI), in the Red and White Cabinet. Jumhur was inaugurated as the Minister of Environment and Head of the Environmental Control Agency during a cabinet reshuffle on Monday, 27 April 2026.

Since Prabowo assumed the presidency, both the KSPI and KSPSI have frequently celebrated International Labour Day alongside the Gerindra Party Chairman. In 2025 and 2026, both organisations, along with several other trade unions, chose to celebrate Labour Day at the National Monument (Monas) alongside the government.

Said Iqbal has claimed that these Labour Day celebrations are more than mere ceremonies, viewing them as vital moments to convey labour aspirations and demands to the government. He noted that there were 11 labour demands presented to President Prabowo Subianto during the celebrations at Monas, including the ratification of the Labour Bill, the abolition of outsourcing, opposition to low wages, addressing the threat of mass layoffs due to war, tax reform, and the transition of part-time honorary teachers and P3K staff to full-time status.

“Of the 11 issues we presented, several received immediate responses and affirmations from the President,” said Said Iqbal in a statement read by a KSPI representative during an oration at Monas, Central Jakarta, on Friday, 1 May 2026.