Jakarta (AsiaNews) – Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has reportedly expressed his intention to resign to President Prabowo Subianto, amid mounting political pressure over a controversy surrounding the validity of his educational credentials.
This development marks a breakdown in relations between Prabowo and former President Joko Widodo, Gibran’s father, with whom Prabowo had forged an alliance prior to the 2024 elections that brought him to power.
Minister of State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi confirmed the news, saying that the two held a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta today, which lasted approximately two and a half hours.
“During the discussion, the Vice President expressed his intention to resign in response to the evolving situation surrounding the decisions of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court,” Prasetyo told a press conference at the Presidential Palace.
“The President offered several suggestions during their discussion, and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka requested an opportunity to prove the authenticity of his documents through proceedings at the State Administrative Court," Prasetyo added.
At present, no formal decision regarding Gibran’s resignation has been announced, nor has any procedure been initiated to remove him from office.
Prabowo vs. Jokowi
However, rifts between the president and his predecessor had already surfaced in recent weeks, following reports of alleged wiretapping. Four high-ranking police officials were arrested on charges of unauthorised monitoring of communications involving Prabowo and other government members.
Among those accused is the former National Police Chief, Listyo Sigit Prabowo, considered a close associate of Jokowi, who had recently been appointed presidential chief of staff, only to be removed from the position following his arrest.
Meanwhile, pressure on Gibran has intensified following rulings by the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court concerning the educational requirements for candidates in the 2024 presidential election.
The Supreme Court invalidated the equivalency certificate for foreign schooling that Gibran had submitted to prove that his education was equivalent to an Indonesian high school diploma.
Previously, the Constitutional Court had rejected a petition seeking to invalidate his election, while noting that no convincing documentation had been provided to prove that he had completed an education equivalent to senior high school.
These challenges have reignited the debate over the legitimacy of Gibran’s candidacy since he was able to run for the vice presidency in 2024 despite being only 36 years old.
The law stipulates a minimum age of 40, but a 2023 ruling by the Constitutional Court, issued while Widodo, known as "Jokowi”, was still president, introduced an exception for individuals who had previously held an elected office, as was the case for Gibran, who was then the mayor of Surakarta.
That decision also sparked controversy due to the involvement of the Court’s Chief Justice, Anwar Usman, who is Joko Widodo’s brother-in-law.
Parliamentary action
Approximately 50 parliamentarians from six political groups have backed a proposal to invoke the so-called Right to Express an Opinion (Hak Menyatakan Pendapat, or HMP), a mechanism that allows Parliament to issue a formal position on government policies or on alleged violations of the law by the president or vice president.
This procedure can address accusations of treason, corruption, bribery, other serious crimes, dishonourable conduct, or a failure to meet the constitutional requirements necessary to hold office. In the event of certain violations, it can pave the way for impeachment proceedings.
Gibran had previously responded to challenges regarding the legitimacy of his educational background, asserting that he had pursued his studies in Singapore and disputing claims that he had failed to complete senior high school.
“If I hadn't graduated from high school, how could I have gone to university? I even completed my bachelor's degree in Singapore,” he said in early October.
