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Purbaya Doesn’t Greet Luhut at the Palace: He’s Sitting Far Away

October 20, 2025
2:20 PM

Jakarta, cartitleloans Indonesia
—
Minister of Finance
Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa
did not appear to greet each other with the Chairman of the National Economic Council (DEN)
Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan
during a plenary cabinet meeting at the State Palace, Jakarta, this afternoon (20/10).
This has made the public suspect that Purbaya’s relationship with Luhut has heated up due to a number of differences of opinion between the two recently.
However, Purbaya dismissed this allegation.He emphasized that his relationship with Luhut was fine.
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“My relationship with him is good, there are no problems,” he told reporters at the Presidential Palace Complex, Monday (20/10).
Regarding the two of them who were silent during the plenary cabinet session, Purbaya said this was because the two of them were sitting far apart.
“How many chairs (are) far away, the time ‘Pak Luhut, Pak Luhut’,” he explained while demonstrating a calling gesture.
Recently, Purbaya and Luhut’s statements appeared to be at odds, including regarding the debt for the Whoosh fast train project and the establishment of a family office.
Purbaya refuses to accept that the fast train project’s debt will be borne by the APBN.He believes that the debt repayment responsibility of PT Kereta Cepat Indonesia China (KCIC), which operates Whoosh, should be managed by the Danantara Indonesia Investment Management Agency (BPI), which oversees the project.
According to him, Danantara has also taken dividends from BUMN which usually go to the state treasury of up to IDR 80 trillion.With that fact, it would be very funny if APBN funds were used again to pay Whoosh’s debt.
“If you use the APBN, it’s a bit funny. Because the benefits are for him (Danantara), the difficulties are for us. If you take (BUMN dividends), you should take everything (including BUMN’s debt burden),” said Purbaya after a sudden inspection (Sidak) at Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta, Monday (13/10).
Luhut also responded to Purbaya’s statement.The Whoosh project is closely linked to the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment.The ministry that existed in the era of the 7th President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) was led by Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan.
“We’re making a fuss about Whoosh. What’s the problem with Whoosh? Whoosh is just restructuring (debt restructuring). Who asked for APBN? Nobody has ever asked for APBN (paying Whoosh debt),” stressed Luhut in 1 Year of the Prabowo-Gibran Government: Optimism on 8% Economic Growth at the JS Luwansa Hotel, South Jakarta, Thursday (16/10).
The second disagreement is about the budget for forming a family office.Purbaya refuses to build family offices in Indonesia using APBN funds.
The formation of a family office was Luhut’s idea when he served as Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment in the era of the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi).
Purbaya welcomes the construction of a family office as long as the budget does not come from the state treasury.He will not divert APBN expenditure items for the establishment of family offices in Indonesia.
“I’ve heard about the issue (family office) for a long time, but never mind. If DEN can build it itself, then just build it itself. I won’t divert the budget (APBN) there,” said Purbaya at the Head Office of the Directorate General of Taxes (DJP), Jakarta, Monday (13/10) as quoted by Detik Finance.
He also emphasized that he was not involved in the plan to establish a family office.Apart from that, Purbaya admitted that he did not really understand the concept of forming a family office.
“No, I’m not involved. If I want to, I’ll pray. I don’t really understand the concept. Even though the Chairman of DEN often talks, I’ve never seen what the concept is, so I can’t answer,” he said.
Luhut was then surprised that he was pitted against Purbaya about the idea of building a family office.He emphasized that the idea of a family office was born to encourage economic growth of 8 percent, in accordance with President Prabowo Subianto’s ideals.
He sees that the role of the APBN in economic growth is only 10-15 percent, while the rest is supported by the private sector.
“That’s why I proposed, create a family office. The family office has nothing to do with the APBN. We continue to be busy, bickering, what else is this? I think it has nothing to do (with the APBN),” said Luhut in 1 Year of the Prabowo-Gibran Administration: Optimism on 8% Economic Growth at the JS Luwansa Hotel, South Jakarta, Thursday (16/10).
“There was a commotion, the Chairman of DEN collided again with the Minister of Finance (Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa). Who asked for the APBN? The APBN has nothing to do with it at all,” he continued.
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