A MINISTER today can no longer arbitrarily appoint echelon-1 officials, because Law No. 5/2014 on the State Civil Apparatus requires all officials to be selected by a panel. But State Apparatus and Bureaucratic Reform Minister Yuddy Chrisnandi found a way to go around the law. With the authority vested in him, he reportedly managed to organize selection panels so that people of his own choosing would take specific positions. Many expert staff in a number of ministries are suspected of being his henchmen. Has the irregular moves of one of his cabinet escaped President Jokowi’s notice?