Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka met with President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday, offering his resignation amid political unrest. This meeting took place following Prabowo’s State of the Nation Address at the parliament building in Jakarta. Officials shared this development, adding another layer of complexity to Indonesia’s leadership dynamics.
Gibran Raka, the 39-year-old son of former President Joko Widodo, engaged in a lengthy discussion with Prabowo, lasting over two hours, according to State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi. The acceptance of Raka’s resignation remains unclear. During a news conference at the presidential palace, Hadi stated that President Prabowo encouraged Raka to ‘continue pursuing legal avenues to defend the validity of his academic documents.’
Raka briefly spoke to reporters as he departed his office. Although he did not directly address the resignation, he emphasized his regard for public opinion. ‘I respect all criticism and feedback from the public regarding the developments that are taking place,’ Raka said. ‘I do not want the current situation to become a prolonged political controversy.’
Pressure on Raka has been mounting due to legal challenges concerning his academic credentials. This issue further complicates his political position, independent of an ongoing investigation involving senior police officials, including the president’s chief of staff, Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo. The inquiry centers around allegations of illegal wiretapping against the president. Other police generals have also come under scrutiny.
The wiretapping case does not directly involve former President Widodo, who appointed Listyo as the national police chief during his tenure. However, political tensions are rising between Prabowo and Widodo, despite Widodo’s support for Prabowo’s presidential campaign, which included selecting Raka as his vice-presidential candidate.
The issue of Raka’s educational qualifications intensified last month when the Supreme Court ruled that his submitted academic documents from overseas failed to meet election criteria. This ruling has increased political pressure on Raka, leading to some lawmakers demanding his impeachment.
In an unrelated controversy, Widodo himself faces allegations of using a fake university diploma, allegations he firmly denies.
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