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Prabowo says he’s still the boss as Gibran temporarily takes reins
It will be the first time that 37-year-old Gibran, the nation’s youngest vice president, will take command of the government in Prabowo’s absence.
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President Prabowo Subianto speaks during a visit to the military academy in Magelang, Central Java, on Oct. 25, 2024. (AFP/Gerindra Party)
P
resident Prabowo Subianto has told his cabinet that he will still be the man in charge during his upcoming international tour, even though Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who will remain in Jakarta, will temporarily assume the duties of president in his absence.
On Friday, President Prabowo will begin his first overseas trips since taking office, a two-week-long tour that will include stops in Brazil, China, the United Kingdom, the United States and Peru, as he seeks a more prominent position for Indonesia on the world stage.
The 73-year-old head of state led a cabinet plenary session on Wednesday to brief his ministers on urgent tasks and ensure the continuity of his government’s work during his absence.
In his opening remarks at the session, Prabowo encouraged his cabinet to reach out to him directly if urgent issues arose, telling them to “feel free to use technology to communicate” with him during his overseas trip.
"If you have conveyed the issue to the coordinating minister but still want to clarify it to me, do not hesitate to contact me. You can call me directly," Prabowo said as he opened the cabinet meeting at the State Palace in Jakarta.
“We need to depart from strict protocols and feudalism because we all are colleagues working for the people. The Vice President and I carry the people’s mandate, but we are equally responsible for serving the public,” he added.
Read also: Prabowo asks ministers to contact him directly during his trip abroad
