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Indonesia’s Parliament Appoints President’s Nephew as Bank Indonesia Deputy Governor

A unanimous House vote leaves only a Supreme Court swearing-in, as markets gauge the pick’s implications for Bank Indonesia’s independence.

Overview

  • Lawmakers approved Thomas Djiwandono in a unanimous Jan. 27 plenary vote, with a formal oath before the Supreme Court still to be scheduled.
  • Djiwandono, a former deputy finance minister and President Prabowo Subianto’s nephew, said he resigned from the Gerindra party in December.
  • He pledged to uphold the central bank’s legal autonomy and promoted closer fiscal–monetary “synergy” to support economic objectives.
  • His nomination had unsettled investors, sending the rupiah to a record low of 16,985 per dollar before a rebound after Bank Indonesia held rates steady.
  • Parliament’s finance commission advanced him over two career central bankers, and supporters say his coordination skills align with the goal of lifting growth toward 8% by 2029.