Track Record of Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat

Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat has officially taken office as Minister of Environment and concurrently as Head of the Environment Control Agency following his inauguration by President Prabowo Subianto during a cabinet reshuffle on Monday, 27 April 2026. He replaces Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, who has now been appointed as Deputy Minister Coordinator for Food Affairs.

Jumhur is known as a labour movement activist. Born in Bandung on 18 February 1968, his name began to gain recognition while he was a student at Institut Teknologi Bandung in the late 1980s. He was actively involved in leading demonstrations that highlighted social inequalities and New Order policies. These activities led to his arrest and imprisonment from 1989 to 1992.

After his release, Jumhur shifted to advocacy through research institutions such as CIDES. During the reform era, he briefly entered practical politics as General Secretary of the People’s Sovereignty Party and later the Indonesian Unity Party, before refocusing on empowering workers and the informal sector.

He founded the Indonesian Independent Workers’ Union Federation (Gaspermindo) and the Indonesian Workers’ Welfare Foundation, as well as being involved in organisations for small traders such as APKLI and APGKI.

Jumhur’s bureaucratic career advanced when he was appointed as Head of BNP2TKI in 2007 by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Over more than seven years, he promoted several initiatives to protect Indonesian workers abroad, including the establishment of a 24-hour call centre, digitalisation of placement services, and improvements in protection standards in destination countries. He implemented training systems and institutional governance.

After leaving the position in 2014, Jumhur reduced his practical political activities and focused more on business and social advocacy. However, he remained vocal on public issues, including criticisms of government policies, which once led him to face legal proceedings in 2020. In 2022, he was elected as General Chairman of the All-Indonesian Workers’ Union Confederation (KSPSI).

In his State Organiser’s Wealth Report (LHKPN) dated 5 December 2007 while serving as Head of BNP2TKI, Jumhur’s total assets were recorded at Rp 2.27 billion.