Satryo: I Resigned, Not Dismissed

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - President Prabowo Subianto replaced Satryo Soemantri Brodjonegoro with Brian Yuliantoro as Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Wednesday (19/2/2025). Satryo claimed that he resigned before being dismissed by the president.

Since Wednesday morning, Satryo has been at the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemendiktisainstek) Office. In the afternoon, he left to avoid reporters who were waiting for his statement regarding the cabinet reshuffle issue by using a car with the plate RI 25.

Yes, I would rather resign than be fired.

Then, at around 3:00 PM Western Indonesia Time, Satryo returned to the office of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. He had just returned after submitting his resignation letter to the State Secretariat Ministry.

"The main reason is because I have worked hard for the past four months. However, perhaps it did not meet the expectations of the government. Well, I would rather resign than be dismissed," said Satryo at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology office, Jakarta, Wednesday (19/2/2025).

According to the former Chairman of the Indonesian Science Association, the resignation letter was made last night. However, it was only submitted this afternoon.

Satryo emphasized that he had no issue with President Prabowo replacing him even though he had only served as a minister for four months. He hopes the new minister can work more optimally.

"We have to be willing to do the work. We have worked well, given our best, without any ulterior motives, I have worked sincerely. If it's not suitable, then I will just resign," he said.

Meanwhile, at the Presidential Palace, President Prabowo inaugurated Brian Yuliarto. Also present at the inauguration were, among others, Vice President Gibran Rakabumingraka, Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, Minister of National Development Planning Rachmat Pambudy, and Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno.

Brian is recorded as a professor at ITB from the Faculty of Industrial Technology with research related to nano and quantum technology. Brian obtained his bachelor's degree from ITB and completed his master's and doctoral programs at the University of Tokyo.

He is also the recipient of the 2024 Habibie Prize. The award was given in the engineering science category because he was considered to have developed nanomaterial-based sensor technology that is useful for detecting hazardous gases and pollutants, diagnosing cancer and hepatitis, and developing medical biosensor technology.

On the same occasion, the President also inaugurated several other officials. They are the Head of the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP), the Head of the National Cyber and Crypto Agency (BSSN), and the Head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

Now, Brian and Satryo are at the Ministry of Education and Science Office to carry out the handover of office which is scheduled to take place at 18.00 WIB.

The Public Relations Officer of the Young Expert and Household Officer of the Ministry of Education and Science and Technology, Neni Herlina, who had a feud with Satryo until the ASN of the Ministry of Education and Science and Technology protested last January, hopes that this change of minister will make the Ministry of Education and Science and Technology free from acts of violence, both between ASN and officials.

"Regarding the change of ministers, it is the president's authority. So, in principle, we, the association, only hope that incidents of arbitrariness and violence will no longer occur at Diktisaintek, carried out by anyone from employees to leaders," said Neni.