Labor Leader Becomes Indonesia’s New Environment Minister

Indonesia has chosen a former labour union head to lead its environment ministry. The new minister, Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat, once fought against the former president in the 1990s and served a prison term for stirring protests. He also opposed the current president during the last election. Before him, Hanif Faisol Nurofiq managed several environmental investigations. He dealt with lawsuits against companies that caused severe floods in northern Sumatra and handled a radioactive spill near Jakarta. Those incidents harmed many people and hurt exports to the United States.Hanif’s work led to the cancellation of permits for 28 companies blamed for worsening the floods that killed over a thousand residents. He also opened an inquiry into water management at a resort in West Java that hosts a golf course owned by the Trump Organization. The government reshuffle also appointed Muhammad Qodari to head communications and Dudung Abdurachman as the new chief of staff for the president. The changes reflect a shift in Indonesia’s approach to environmental policy, bringing a new perspective from the labour movement.