Proposal from the Ruling Party Itself

JAKARTA — The Gerindra (Great Indonesia Movement) Party considers that Forestry Minister (Menhut) Raja Juli Antoni needs a thorough evaluation regarding the handling of recurring forest and land fires (karhutla) that continue to impact the public. The call was delivered by Gerindra Party Spokesperson Kamrusammad during the Open Debate '2 Years of the Prabowo-Gibran Administration' in South Jakarta on Tuesday (20/10/2026).

'I believe we indeed need to propose to the President to conduct a serious evaluation of the forestry minister,' Kamrusammad stated. He did not rule out the possibility that the evaluation could lead to a reshuffle of the Forestry Minister position.

In his explanation, Kamrusammad highlighted four primary factors contributing to forest fires and emphasized the necessity for more effective oversight and fire-handling measures. Additionally, Gerindra underscored the need for a comprehensive assessment of the cabinet, which is currently deemed underperforming according to established indicators.

Mounting Pressure Over Forest and Land Fires

Calls to evaluate the Forestry Minister have surfaced amidst an ongoing forest and land fire crisis that shows no signs of abating. Students across various cities have taken to the streets demanding that the government declare karhutla a national disaster, while criticism over sluggish emergency responses continues to mount from various groups.

Raja Juli Antoni's position within the Merah Putih (Red and White) Cabinet has become increasingly precarious. In addition to a poor performance rating on wildfire containment, he has previously drawn public scrutiny in several controversies. As the President's primary supporting party, Gerindra's open call for an evaluation marks a rare political signal against a sitting minister.

State Secretary: Priority Remains on Firefighting

Responding to escalating reshuffle rumors, Minister of State Secretary (Mensesneg) Prasetyo Hadi asserted that the President's immediate focus is speeding up fire suppression operations. Prepared measures include deploying additional water-bombing aircraft, stepping up law enforcement, and revoking licenses of corporations proven to have deliberately ignited land.

Prasetyo did not explicitly dismiss the possibility of a reshuffle, but emphasized that the government's foremost priority is extinguishing the blazes and shielding communities from toxic haze.

Prabowo Opens Door to Cabinet Reshuffle

President Prabowo had previously left the door open for a cabinet reshuffle. During an address at Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor on Saturday (19/9/2026), he cited the two-year milestone of his presidency as an appropriate time to reshuffle the Merah Putih Cabinet.

'I think two years is logical. Everyone has had enough time to prove their capabilities,' Prabowo remarked. He stressed that evaluations of his ministers are conducted continuously, with capability and competency matching being the primary criteria.

With the open declaration by Gerindra's spokesperson and earlier signals from the President himself, the Forestry Minister's post has become the focal point of speculation for the next reshuffle round — particularly if the wildfire crisis remains unresolved.