JAKARTA – Former TNI Commander Gatot Nurmantyo is being considered as a potential candidate to fill the vacant position of Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs (Menko Polkam), replacing Budi Gunawan. Political Communication Observer at Esa Unggul University, M. Jamiluddin Ritonga, stated that Nurmantyo’s name has emerged in discussions for the role.
Ritonga cited several factors supporting Nurmantyo’s suitability for the position. He emphasized the existing positive relationship between Nurmantyo and President Prabowo Subianto, noting a lack of public discord between the two. “The good relations were also seen when Gatot Nurmantyo was one of the names submitted by Prabowo Subianto as a figure who would help him if he was elected president of the 2019-2024 period,” Ritonga said.
Further illustrating their rapport, Ritonga pointed to Nurmantyo’s participation in Prabowo’s large-scale campaign event in Surabaya in April 2019. “That shows,the two figures trust each other. Presumably trusting each other is still ongoing until now,” he added. The menko Polkam position remains unfilled as of today, with Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin currently serving in an ad interim capacity following a recent internal meeting.
