Indonesia president names election rival as defence minister

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesian President Joko Widodo has named his election rival as his defence minister and added technocrats and entrepreneurs to his Cabinet.

Widodo was sworn in Sunday for his second term. He promised to promote professionals to top posts rather than party officials.

Former Gen. Prabowo Subianto lost the past two elections to Widodo. But he said Monday he would join the president’s Cabinet to help strengthen the country’s defence.

In other Cabinet appointments announced Wednesday, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who was managing director at the World Bank, was reappointed finance minister.

Nadiem Makarim, CEO and co-founder of ride-hailing startup company Gojek, was named education and culture minister, and Erick Thohir, a former owner of the Inter Milan soccer club was named minister of state-owned enterprises.