menteri

Menteri is a government title used in Malay-speaking countries to denote a minister, a senior official who heads a ministry or serves in the cabinet. The term is common in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore in Malay-language contexts, and is equivalent to the English word "minister."

Origin and usage: The word forms part of the Malay and Indonesian vocabularies and is closely related to the word minister in other European languages, reflecting historical contact with Dutch and English administration. In practice, a Menteri denotes a political appointee who heads a ministry and advises the head of government.

Role and appointment: Ministers are typically appointed by the president or prime minister and are responsible for policy development, legislation affecting their portfolio, and the administration of their ministry and its agencies. They usually sit in the cabinet and are collectively responsible for government policy; in many systems, ministers are or must be members of the legislature, though some jurisdictions appoint specialists or non-elected figures as ministers.

Context and examples: In Malaysia, federal ministers lead ministries and the cabinet includes Deputy Ministers; state governments use the title Menteri Besar for the head of government. In Indonesia, ministers head ministries under the President and may be complemented by state ministers. The exact powers and tenure of a Menteri vary by country and constitutional framework.