President Prabowo Appoints Labor Union Chief Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat as Indonesia’s New Environment Minister

President Prabowo appoints union leader Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat to lead Indonesia's Environment Ministry, replacing Hanif Faisol Nurofiq in a 2026 reshuffle.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 27, 2026, 8:01 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Straits Times

A Political Shift in Environmental Governance

President Prabowo Subianto has signaled a new direction for Indonesian environmental policy by appointing a prominent labor activist to lead the Ministry of Environment. Mohammad Jumhur Hidayat, the current chief of the All-Indonesia Workers' Union Confederation, was officially inaugurated at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta this Monday. Hidayat, a seasoned figure in Indonesian civil society, is widely recognized for his history of political activism, including leading significant protests during the 1990s. His appointment comes as a surprise to some observers, given his past legal challenges and his previous support for the president’s political opposition during the 2024 election cycle.

The Legacy of High Profile Investigations

Hidayat takes the helm from Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, a former bureaucrat who led the ministry through eighteen months of intense scrutiny and legal conflict. During his time in office, Nurofiq launched several high profile probes into corporate negligence, most notably targeting companies linked to the devastating floods in northern Sumatra late last year. His administration was responsible for the revocation of permits for 28 firms found liable for environmental damage that contributed to a disaster claiming 1,200 lives. Additionally, Nurofiq oversaw the management of a radioactive contamination crisis near Jakarta that threatened international trade relations with the United States.

Transitioning Leadership Amidst National Challenges

The transition of Nurofiq to a deputy minister role within the coordinating ministry for food affairs marks a strategic movement of personnel within the Prabowo administration. Nurofiq’s departure leaves behind several unfinished investigations, including a sensitive probe into rainwater mismanagement at a West Java resort featuring a Trump Organization golf course. Hidayat now inherits a ministry that has become increasingly litigious and central to Indonesia's response to climate related disasters. The palace has not yet detailed how Hidayat’s labor background will influence the ministry’s ongoing corporate investigations or its broader environmental protection strategies.