Yes sir: a bizarre initiation ritual for Indonesia’s cabinet
The newly-inaugurated president sends his ministers to boot camp
Indonesia’s military academy is set among the misty foothills of Java’s towering volcanoes. On October 25th over a hundred members of the cabinet of the newly sworn-in president, Prabowo Subianto, lined up in formation on its parade ground, having flown in on jump seats aboard a C-130 cargo plane. The ministers donned green army fatigues, patrol caps and combat boots as the president set out their agenda. Even Sri Mulyani Indrawati, the urbane finance minister—and one of only five women in the cabinet—stood to attention.
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This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Boot camp”
Asia November 2nd 2024
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- Yes sir: a bizarre initiation ritual for Indonesia’s cabinet
From the November 2nd 2024 edition
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