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Asia News Network
3 days ago
- Politics
- Asia News Network
Indonesian President Prabowo leads first Independence Day ceremony in Jakarta
August 18, 2025 JAKARTA – President Prabowo Subianto led the 80th Independence Day ceremony in Jakarta on Sunday, his first Aug. 17 celebration since taking office as the country's head of state last year. The festive ceremony at the State Palace in Central Jakarta was attended by high-ranking officials, foreign dignitaries, veterans and more than 8,000 regular citizens who were lucky enough to make the audience quota. The palace previously opened public registration for people wishing to attend the event, with the quota being filled within hours. Sunday's ceremony began with a cultural parade carrying replicas of the original Red-and-White flag and the Proclamation of Independence text from the National Monument (Monas) to the State Palace. The procession featured hundreds of security officers on motorcycles and horses, as well as military and police academy drum band personnel dressed in traditional attire. At around 9:50 a.m., Prabowo, dressed in an off-white traditional Malay outfit, started the flag-hoisting ceremony by reading the Independence Proclamation, before handing over the Red-and-White Flag to the national flag-hoisting squad (Paskibraka). After the ceremony, the celebrations continued with an air show performed by among other aircraft eight Air Force F-16 fighter jets and a host of cultural performances, including traditional dances and a showcase of pencak silat traditional martial art. Among the attendees at Sunday's ceremony were former presidents Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo, who came to the palace with his wife Iriana. They sat next to Prabowo and across from Vice President, and Jokowi's eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka. Also attending the ceremony were former vice presidents Try Sutrisno, Jusuf Kalla, Boediono and Ma'ruf Amin. Indonesia's fifth president Megawati Soekarnoputri, who came to the palace on Saturday to officiate this year's Paskibraka squad as head of the Agency for the Implementation of the State Ideology Pancasila's (BPIP) steering committee, did not attend Sunday's ceremony. Megawati, who chairs the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), opted instead to attend an Independence Day ceremony held by the party in its office in South Jakarta. PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto said that Megawati 'wanted' to celebrate Independence Day with all party members. Megawati also did not attend the annual People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) plenary meeting at the Senayan legislative complex in Jakarta on Friday, when Prabowo delivered his first State of the Nation address. The PDI-P is the largest party in the government-dominated House of Representatives and the only party outside of Prabowo's ruling coalition. Her ties with Prabowo have warmed of late despite the PDI-P's feud with Jokowi, a one-time party member who broke ranks to support Prabowo's presidential bid last year. During the party's congress earlier this month, Megawati announced the nationalist party would act as the 'constitutional counterbalance' to government policies. The palace is slated to hold a flag-lowering ceremony on Sunday afternoon, followed by the 'Independence Carnival' parade in the evening. Prabowo is expected to see off the start of the parade, as decorated cars representing various government institutions will wind through the main roads of Central Jakarta. Public enthusiasm surged ahead of the Independence Day celebration, the first time for the government to allocate a majority of audience spots for the ceremony to the general public. Public registration for some 6,400 spots opened on Aug. 4 and quickly reached capacity, prompting organizers to add up to 2,000 more slots in a second round of registration on Aug. 7.
The Star
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Prabowo leads first Independence Day ceremony in Jakarta
JAKARTA: President Prabowo Subianto led the 80th Independence Day ceremony in Jakarta on Sunday, his first Aug 17 celebration since taking office as the country's head of state last year. The festive ceremony at the State Palace in Central Jakarta was attended by high-ranking officials, foreign dignitaries, veterans and more than 8,000 regular citizens who were lucky enough to make the audience quota. The palace previously opened public registration for people wishing to attend the event, with the quota being filled within hours. Sunday's ceremony began with a cultural parade carrying replicas of the original Red-and-White flag and the Proclamation of Independence text from the National Monument (Monas) to the State Palace. Three members of the national flag-hoisting team raise the Red-and-White flag on Aug. 17, 2025, during a ceremony to commemorate Indonesia's 80th anniversary at the State Palace in Jakarta. - Photo: Reuters The procession featured hundreds of security officers on motorcycles and horses, as well as military and police academy drum band personnel dressed in traditional attire. At around 9.50am, Prabowo, dressed in an off-white traditional Malay outfit, started the flag-hoisting ceremony by reading the Independence Proclamation, before handing over the Red-and-White Flag to the national flag-hoisting squad (Paskibraka). After the ceremony, the celebrations continued with an air show performed by among other aircraft eight Air Force F-16 fighter jets and a host of cultural performances, including traditional dances and a showcase of pencak silat traditional martial art. Among the attendees at Sunday's ceremony were former presidents Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo, who came to the palace with his wife Iriana. They sat next to Prabowo and across from Vice President, and Jokowi's eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka. Also attending the ceremony were former vice presidents Try Sutrisno, Jusuf Kalla, Boediono and Ma'ruf Amin. Doves fly after being released to mark Indonesia's 80th Independence Day at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on August 17, 2025. (Photo by BAY ISMOYO / AFP) Indonesia's fifth president Megawati Soekarnoputri, who came to the palace on Saturday to officiate this year's Paskibraka squad as head of the Agency for the Implementation of the State Ideology Pancasila's (BPIP) steering committee, did not attend Sunday's ceremony. Megawati, who chairs the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), opted instead to attend an Independence Day ceremony held by the party in its office in South Jakarta. PDI-P secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto said that Megawati 'wanted' to celebrate Independence Day with all party members. Megawati also did not attend the annual People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) plenary meeting at the Senayan legislative complex in Jakarta on Friday, when Prabowo delivered his first State of the Nation address. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (centre) watches as people dance during a flag raising ceremony marking Indonesia's 80th Independence Day at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on August 17, 2025. - Photo: AFP The PDI-P is the largest party in the government-dominated House of Representatives and the only party outside of Prabowo's ruling coalition. Her ties with Prabowo have warmed of late despite the PDI-P's feud with Jokowi, a one-time party member who broke ranks to support Prabowo's presidential bid last year. During the party's congress earlier this month, Megawati announced the nationalist party would act as the 'constitutional counterbalance' to government policies. The palace is slated to hold a flag-lowering ceremony on Sunday afternoon, followed by the 'Independence Carnival' parade in the evening. Dancers in traditional dresses perform during a celebration of the 80th anniversary of Indonesia's independence at the main business district in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. - Photo: AP Prabowo is expected to see off the start of the parade, as decorated cars representing various government institutions will wind through the main roads of Central Jakarta. Public enthusiasm surged ahead of the Independence Day celebration, the first time for the government to allocate a majority of audience spots for the ceremony to the general public. Public registration for some 6,400 spots opened on Aug 4 and quickly reached capacity, prompting organisers to add up to 2,000 more slots in a second round of registration on Aug 7. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
The Star
04-08-2025
- Politics
- The Star
PDI-P to keep Indonesian govt at arm's length
JAKARTA: The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said it would act as a 'constitutional counterbalance' to President Prabowo Subianto's administration in remarks to close the Bali congress. Meanwhile, observers await the party's next move following its secretary-general's controversial amnesty in a graft case. Speaking at the closing session of the party's two-day congress on Saturday (Aug 2) in Nusa Dua, Bali, party chairwoman Megawati Sukarnoputri said the PDI-P would not fall into the binary of opposition and ruling coalition, but would instead stay rooted in its ideological mission to serve the people. 'We are an ideological party that stands on the side of truth, aligns with the people and firmly acts as a balancing force to ensure national development stays on the path of the Constitution and serves the interests of the people,' she said. She underscored that Indonesia's presidential system did not recognise the concept of formal opposition or coalition politics, and warned against unhealthy contests that undermine the public interest. 'In our democratic space, in the presidential system that we follow, there is no such thing as opposition and ruling coalition,' she said. 'Our democracy is not about political blocs. It is grounded in the sovereignty of the people, and where the Constitution stands as the highest authority.' Megawati affirmed that the PDI-P would support any government policy that benefits the people, but would not hesitate to 'speak out against any deviation from the state ideology, Pancasila, social justice and just law enforcement'. The PDI-P is the only party in the House of Representatives that is not in Prabowo's coalition. It has long been expected to stay outside of the government after a feud with former president Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo, a one-time party member who broke ranks to support Prabowo's presidential bid last year, complicated the ties between Megawati and Prabowo. The relationship has had its ups and downs since Megawati lost the 2009 presidential bid with Prabowo as her running mate. But in recent months, their ties have warmed, leading to their first meeting in April since Prabowo's presidential inauguration. The PDI-P's Saturday announcement came only days after Prabowo unexpectedly granted amnesty to Megawati's most trusted aide: Party secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto, who was recently convicted of bribery. A PDI-P source said the President was initially expected to attend the congress, but opted out due to fear that his appearance could fuel public speculation about a political deal behind Hasto's amnesty. Political analyst Arif Susanto said PDI-P taking a balancing role could fill a gap in the country's political landscape that is increasingly dominated by a pro-government coalition, but only if the party maintains a truly critical posture. 'There is nothing wrong with supporting good government policies and criticising the bad ones,' Arif said. 'The real test is whether the party would have the courage to call out the government when it makes harmful decisions or strays from democratic principles.' 'If the PDI-P backs problematic policies out of political convenience, it risks undermining its own credibility,' Arif said. 'A balancing force simply fails at its job if it remains silent when the government needs correction.' Yoes Kenawas, a postdoctoral research fellow at Atma Jaya Catholic University, expressed skepticism that the PDI-P's positioning would translate into an effective check to the Prabowo administration, which holds the majority in the House. 'The amnesty granted to Hasto puts the PDI-P and Megawati in a position of owing a political favour to Prabowo,' said Yoes. 'Their relationship has always been fine, but with the amnesty, it looks like it's moving up a notch.' 'This clears the path for Prabowo to fully cartelise political parties in the legislature. His legislative agenda will likely face fewer obstacles,' Yoes said, adding, however, that 'this doesn't guarantee political stability as it depends on many variables'. Both analysts also see a possibility for PDI-P affiliated professionals to join Prabowo's cabinet in a future reshuffle, which has been widely speculated would take place after the PDI-P congress. Yet, PDI-P politician Ganjar Pranowo ruled out this possibility, saying the party position had been made 'crystal clear' by Megawati that it would remain outside of the government. 'Based on Ibu Megawati's statement, I am absolutely certain that we won't be part of the cabinet,' Ganjar told The Jakarta Post. At the congress, Megawati was reelected as PDI-P chairwoman and has temporarily taken over the secretary-general position from Hasto, pending a definitive appointment. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
The Star
08-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Prabowo sends Gerindra officials to meet Megawati, deliver confidential message
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) chairwoman Megawati Sukarnoputri (left) talks with House Speaker Puan Maharani of the PDI-P and Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad of Gerindra Party at her residence in Menteng, Central Jakarta, in this undated photo. - Instagram/@sufmi_dasco via The Jakarta Post/ANN JAKARTA: Officials from President Prabowo Subianto's Gerindra Party have revealed that they met with Megawati Sukarnoputri—the matriarch of the de facto opposition Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P)—at her private residence in Menteng, Central Jakarta, to deliver a confidential message from the President. Gerindra executive chairman and House Deputy Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad shared the news on his Instagram account on Thursday (June 5), saying the delegation 'received guidance and input for the good of the nation under the leadership of Pak Prabowo' during the visit a few days earlier. When asked by reporters about whether the meeting discussed the possibility of the PDI-P joining Prabowo's big-tent Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM), Dasco said no, but acknowledged that the topic often comes up during interactions between the two parties. He also stopped short of revealing the agenda discussed during the meeting with Megawati, saying it involved a confidential message from the President. Separately, State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, who accompanied Dasco to Megawati's residence, said the country's fifth president had reminded him to 'stay healthy and take care of Prabowo,' as quoted by Antara. Political observer Kunto Adi from Padjadjaran University suggested the visit was likely linked to the PDI-P's upcoming congress, where the party is expected to announce its political stance regarding Prabowo's administration. 'It is very possible that [the increasingly intense relationship between Prabowo and Megawati] signals that the PDI-P will soon join Prabowo's cabinet,' he said, as reported by Kompas. Prabowo and Megawati made a rare joint appearance on Monday to celebrate the birth of the country's founding ideology Pancasila. In the lead-up to the ceremony, Prabowo personally welcomed Megawati and exchanged jokes and pleasantries. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
The Star
30-04-2025
- The Star
Medan councillor investigated for viral assault of flight attendant
MEDAN: The North Sumatra Police announced they will soon summon local councillor Megawati Zebua for questioning over allegations that she assaulted a Wings Air flight attendant in an incident that recently went viral on social media. North Sumatra Police spokesperson Comr Siti Rohani Tampubolon stated that while the summons is imminent, they cannot yet provide an exact timeline for her questioning. "We still need to complete several administrative procedures," she said on Monday (April 28), as reported by The North Sumatra Police launched an investigation into the alleged assault last week after the Nias Police handed the case over to them. Nias Police Chief Sr Comr Adj Revi Nurvelani explained that the transfer was made because the victim, the alleged perpetrator and most key witnesses reside in Medan, where the North Sumatra Police are based. 'This move will streamline the process and expedite the investigation,' he said in a recent interview. Prior to the handover, the Nias Police had already interviewed five witnesses, including the victim, the Wings Air pilot and several airport officials. A video of the altercation between councillor Megawati and a Wings Air flight attendant recently went viral on social media. In the footage, Megawati is seen pushing the flight attendant in the neck as they argue in the aisle of the plane. Wings Air spokesperson Danang Mandala Prihantoro said the incident occurred on April 13 aboard Flight IW1267, which was preparing to depart from Binaka Nias Airport in North Sumatra. Danang explained that councillor Megawati attempted to bring a suitcase, labelled as "checked baggage", into the cabin. "In accordance with our standard operating procedures, one of our flight attendants, Lidya Cristine, instructed the passenger to place the suitcase at the rear of the plane so it could be handled by ground staff and be stored in the cargo hold," he said on April 16. "However, the passenger was uncooperative. She refused to follow the flight attendant's instructions, attempted to remove the baggage label from her suitcase and physically assaulted the attendant," he added. Danang also stated that the airline plans to take legal action as part of its commitment to protecting its flight crews and ensuring a safe, professional environment for employees. 'The safety and comfort of our passengers and crew is our top priority, and we urge all passengers to follow our rules and regulations,' he said. On April 17, both Lidya and Wings Air reported the incident to the Nias Police. Megawati has denied that the altercation stemmed from her insistence on bringing her checked luggage into the cabin. She claimed that the problematic suitcase actually belonged to another passenger. 'I was just trying to assist an elderly passenger who claimed he would miss his connecting flight to Padang, West Sumatra, if he had to wait for his checked baggage to be processed. However, the flight attendant insisted that it could not be brought into the cabin,' the Golkar Party politician explained. Megawati also stated that she pushed Lidya in an effort to clear the aisle and allow other passengers to board the plane without delay. Megawati said she was eventually removed from the plane by airport security and had to catch another flight the following day. The Golkar Party's North Sumatra branch announced they would summon Megawati in the near future to provide "clarification" regarding the viral incident. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
