Indonesian President Appoints Technocrats to Top Economic Posts

Indonesian President Joko Widodo shakes hands with members of his new cabinet after they were unveiled at the presidential palace in Jakarta, Oct. 26, 2014.

Indonesia's new president on Sunday appointed professional technocrats to lead the top economic ministries and implement much-needed reforms to deal with costly fuel subsidies, cooling investment and the country's creaky infrastructure.

Joko Widodo unveiled a cabinet of 34 ministers that was filled with political appointees and last-minute replacements, reflecting the many compromises necessary to maintain a fragile coalition and have a team seen as free of graft.

Widodo, who took office last Monday, appointed former state-owned enterprises minister Sofyan Djalil as coordinating minister for economics and promoted vice finance minister Bambang Brodjonegoro to head the finance ministry.

The president named the chief executive of state-owned defense firm PT Pindad, Sudirman Said, as energy and mineral resources minister, and a former head of auto-assembler PT Astra International Rini Soemarno Soewandi as state-owned enterprises minister.

Retno Marsudi, the current ambassador to the Netherlands, will take over as foreign minister.

Widodo's cabinet picks will be sworn-in on Monday.