Indonesia’s new president announces his cabinet. It is the largest in the history of the country.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — President of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto announced his cabinet on Sunday night, hours after his inauguration.

The lineup of 109 ministers, deputy ministers and heads of national agencies was the largest in the country’s history, and was called the “Red and White Cabinet,” in reference to the colors of Indonesia’s national flag.

Subian became the eighth president of Southeast Asia’s largest economy on Sunday.

The Cabinet of Subianto’s predecessor, Joko Widodoit had 34 ministers and heads of government agencies.

Subianto has previously said he needs a strong administration, although analysts said his “fat” cabinet would bloat bureaucracy.

“I want to create a strong government that unites our multicultural society and our diverse political interests,” Subianto said before inviting more than 100 people to interviews at his residence last week. “It must be a great coalition and some will say my cabinet is fat.”

The Cabinet includes politicians from a seven-party coalition that supported his victory in the February elections and figures allied with Widodo’s Cabinet, who were re-elected to continue in their positions under Subianto’s presidency. Analysts said the move was a political reward for Widodo for the latter’s tacit support in the elections.

Subianto took the oath with his new vice president, the 37-year-old former mayor of Surakarta Gibran Rakabuming Raka. He chose Widodo’s son Raka as his running mate, and Widodo favored Subianto over his former party’s candidate. Former rivals became tacit allies, although Indonesian presidents do not typically endorse candidates.

Subianto was a former rival of the Widodos, running against him twice for president and refusing to accept defeat both times, in 2014 and 2019.

But Widodo appointed Subianto defense chief upon his re-election, paving the way for an alliance despite their rival political parties. During the campaign, Subianto ran as the heir to the popular outgoing president and promised to continue emblematic policies such as the construction of a New multi-million dollar capital and limits on the export of raw materials aimed at boosting the national industry.

Backed by Widodo, Subianto achieved a landslide victory in the direct presidential elections in February with promises of political continuity.

Subianto reappointed nearly half of Widodo’s cabinet members, including Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, making her the first person to serve in the ministry under three different presidents.

Indrawati, 62, who served as executive director of the International Monetary Fund and managing director of the World Bank, is one of Indonesia’s longest-serving finance ministers, having held the position for long periods under presidents Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Joko Widodo.

He has earned considerable respect in international circles, particularly for his reforms of the chaotic Indonesian tax system and his role in guiding Indonesia through the global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We consult regularly to discuss strategies to strengthen the Ministry of Finance and state finances to support their programs,” Indrawati told reporters after meeting Subianto last week.

Other ministers in Widodo’s cabinet include Interior Minister Tito Karnavian, Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan, Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia and State Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir.

Subianto has announced the ambitious goal of increasing annual economic growth to 8% by the end of his five-year term and embarking on an ambitious spending program, including increased defense spending, increases in civil servant salaries and a program to give free meals to 83 million children.