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Gibran-Prabowo brouhaha signals PDI-P unease with Jokowi
The party's summoning of Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka for clarification over his meeting with Gerindra Party-backed presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto is indicative of the growing unease between the PDI-P and President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, analysts say.
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Secretary-general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Hasto Kristiyanto (left) holds a meeting with Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka (right) in Jakarta on May 22. (The Jakarta Post/Antara)
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle’s (PDI-P) summons of Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka for clarification over his meeting with Gerindra Party-backed presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto is indicative of the growing unease between the ruling party and President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
The PDI-P decided not to sanction Gibran, the eldest son of Jokowi, over the controversy, which came amid a growing contingent of the President’s supporter groups pledging support for Prabowo in the 2024 presidential race over the PDI-P’s own candidate, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo.
Jokowi is a member of the PDI-P, and he and the party have enjoyed a fruitful relationship stretching back to when the President made his foray into politics as the mayor of Surakarta, Central Java, in 2005. While Gibran already made his name as an entrepreneur, he eventually followed in Jokowi’s footsteps after being elected as Surakarta mayor in 2020, with the backing of the PDI-P.
The President’s popularity, and that of his family, continues to grow, however, political analyst Bawono Kumoro of pollster Indikator Politik Indonesia believes that the party is becoming wary of the President’s growing influence, which is starting to rival that of the PDI-P itself.
“The PDI-P is being careful here, as they’ve taken into account Jokowi’s unique position,” Bawono told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
“Jokowi might simply be a member of PDI-P according to chairwoman [Megawati Soekarnoputri], and Gibran is still a political newcomer, but the party looks to be reluctant [to take a decisive stance] on Jokowi’s family."
Gibran raised eyebrows after meeting with Defense Minister Prabowo during the latter’s visit to Surakarta on Friday as several Jokowi-Gibran supporter groups declared their support for Prabowo. Kuat Hermawan, coordinator for a Gibran supporter group that was present during the declaration, said that the Surakarta mayor helped arrange the impromptu meeting between Prabowo and the groups, Kompas daily reported.
