Indonesia cabinet switch no panacea as COVID-19 crisis deepens
Indonesia cabinet switch no panacea as COVID-19 crisis deepens
By Stanley Widianto
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Ex-banker Budi seen as good choice for mass vaccine roll-out
Indonesia criticised for poor testing and tracing
President picks popular rival Sandiaga for tourism portfolio
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Jakarta: Indonesian President Joko Widodo may struggle to convince some that his cabinet shakeup amid a deteriorating coronavirus crisis means a shift in strategy in fighting one of Asia s most stubborn COVID-19 epidemics.
Jokowi, as the President is popularly known, inaugurated six new ministers on Wednesday, the most notable being his replacement of embattled health minister Terawan Agus Putranto with former banker Budi Gunadi Sadikin. Terawan was heavily criticised for his handling of the coronavirus, particularly for suggesting that prayer could help protect people.
Wednesday, 23 Dec 2020 07:39 PM MYT
Jokowi today inaugurated six new ministers, the most notable being his replacement of embattled health minister Terawan Agus Putranto with former banker Budi Gunadi Sadikin. Reuters file pic
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JAKARTA, Dec 23 ― Indonesian President Joko Widodo may struggle to convince some that his Cabinet shakeup amid a deteriorating coronavirus crisis means a shift in strategy in fighting one of Asia s most stubborn Covid-19 epidemics.
Jokowi, as the president is popularly known, today inaugurated six new ministers, the most notable being his replacement of embattled health minister Terawan Agus Putranto with former banker Budi Gunadi Sadikin. Terawan was heavily criticised for his handling of the coronavirus, particularly for suggesting that prayer could help protect people.
Ex-banker Budi seen as good choice for mass vaccine roll-out Indonesia criticised for poor testing and tracing President picks popular rival Sandiaga for tourism portfolio
By Stanley Widianto
JAKARTA, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo may struggle to convince some that his cabinet shakeup amid a deteriorating coronavirus crisis means a shift in strategy in fighting one of Asia s most stubborn COVID-19 epidemics.
Jokowi, as the president is popularly known, on Wednesday inaugurated six new ministers, the most notable being his replacement of embattled health minister Terawan Agus Putranto with former banker Budi Gunadi Sadikin. Terawan was heavily criticised for his handling of the coronavirus, particularly for suggesting that prayer could help protect people.
[Photo Courtesy of the Indonesia Cabinet Secretary’s Office]
Indonesia’s president replaced six ministers in a cabinet shakeup on Tuesday, including the health minister who was heavily criticized for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which dragged Southeast Asia’s biggest economy into its worst recession in 22 years.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo sacked Minister of Health Terawan Agus Putranto and replaced him with Budi Gunadi Sadikin, a banker and the deputy minister of state enterprises, to help deal with the pandemic.
With nearly 700,000 coronavirus cases and more than 20,000 COVID-19-related deaths, Indonesia is the country in East Asia that is hardest hit by the pandemic.