Indonesia's Minister 'Doer and Fixer' Luhut Pandjaitan gets new responsibilities

Luhut Pandjaitan has to woo investors, fight forest fires and resolve housing woes

Indonesia's Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan on a working visit to a nickel processing plant in Morowali, Central Sulawesi. He has been credited with turning the sleepy town into the world's largest nickel indust
Indonesia's Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan on a working visit to a nickel processing plant in Morowali, Central Sulawesi. He has been credited with turning the sleepy town into the world's largest nickel industrial park. PHOTO: COURTESY OF INDONESIA'S COORDINATING MINISTRY OF MARITIME AFFAIRS AND INVESTMENT
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Indonesian Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Pandjaitan has almost doubled his responsibilities as he returns to the Cabinet to help President Joko Widodo in the latter's second and final term in office.

Mr Luhut, 72, previously supervised four sectors in South-east Asia's biggest economy - energy and mineral resources, fisheries, tourism and transport, as the coordinating minister for maritime affairs. Today, with the added title of Investment Minister, he must work to bring in foreign investments, fight forest fires, look after the environment, and resolve issues in public works and housing.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on November 13, 2019, with the headline Indonesia's Minister 'Doer and Fixer' Luhut Pandjaitan gets new responsibilities. Subscribe