By Stefanno Sulaiman and Ananda Teresia
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s incoming president Prabowo Subianto is considering offering current finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati a cabinet minister post in his administration, two sources with knowledge of the situation told Reuters.
Former World Bank managing director Sri Mulyani could be asked to stay on as finance minister or become coordinating minister of economic affairs because of the confidence financial markets have in her, said one of the sources, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the information.
“There must be a name that has international reputation in (Prabowo’s) cabinet,” the source said.
Sri Mulyani is among a few names that Prabowo is still considering as his finance chief, a second source said.
Representatives for Sri Mulyani and Prabowo did not respond to a request for comment. The finance ministry declined to comment.
Speculation has been rife about who will be Prabowo’s finance minister after the president-elect’s comments earlier this year on his plans to take on more debt put local bond and currency markets on edge.
Last week, Prabowo told an economic forum he would keep many capable ministers from the administration of outgoing President Joko Widodo, but did not name any names.
Sri Mulyani, one of Indonesia’s longest-serving finance ministers who has worked under two presidents, has won plaudits for reforming the taxation system and for her role in steering Southeast Asia’s biggest economy through several crises, including the pandemic.
News website Kumparan.com on Monday reported Sri Mulyani was “almost certain” to be given the finance minister job, citing sources.
Prabowo will be inaugurated as president on Sunday.
(Reporting by Stefanno Sulaiman and Ananda Teresia; Writing by Gayatri Suroyo; Editing by John Mair)
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