President Prabowo Subianto is said to be in dire need of a lot of ‘Mr. Clean’ figures in his cabinet, just like Minister of Agriculture, Andi Amran Sulaiman (AAS). This is thought to be crucial in order to ensure effective governance with strong support and trust from the majority of the public. Toto Izul Fatah, the Executive Director of Citra Komunikasi LSI Denny JA, stated this in response to Prabowo’s comments regarding the abundant rice stocks and high corn production throughout Indonesia’s history. “In my opinion, what Mr. Prabowo mentioned about the success of food self-sufficiency, especially in rice and corn, is a form of appreciation for the performance of Minister of Agriculture, Amran Sulaiman. Moreover, this was achieved in less than a year,” Toto said in his written message.
Toto believes that one of the key factors in Amran’s success, besides being competent in his field, is that he works sincerely, firmly, and without any burden. This includes his decision to dismiss corrupt officials under his command who are unable to perform their duties. Based on these reasons, Toto deems it very appropriate and fitting to refer to Amran Sulaiman as Mr. Clean in Prabowo’s government. He has performed exceptionally well and is free from the corruption practices that have now reached an acute level. If Prabowo’s future government wishes to operate effectively, Toto suggests that one of the formulas is to increase the number of his aides in the cabinet who fall under the Mr. Clean category. These individuals are ministers who have settled their personal affairs and no longer think about enriching themselves. “I see that Mr. Amran already falls into that category. It’s up to Mr. Prabowo to multiply these Mr. Clean figures. Whether you like it or not, a government is effective when there is strong public trust. The more Mr. Clean figures there are, the stronger the public trust and the more effective the government will be,” he emphasized.
Responding to the potential of Amran entering the political radar in the 2029 Presidential Election, Toto admitted that he does not wish to speculate. However, if his performance as the Minister of Agriculture remains consistent for the next three years, or even improves from the current state, it is not impossible for him to become a prominent figure to be reckoned with. “At the very least, in the upcoming 2029 Presidential Election, Mr. Amran will be like a beautiful girl with a magnet that anyone would want to court, whether as a presidential candidate or a vice-presidential candidate. And Mr. Amran already has enough good reputation and electability as the iron law of choice,” he concluded.
