Latest news with #PDIP
New Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Indonesia court jails senior opposition official over bribery case
JAKARTA: An Indonesian court on Friday sentenced a senior politician from the only opposition party in parliament to three and a half years in jail, in a bribery case linked to a parliamentary appointment. Prosecutors had charged Hasto Kristiyanto, secretary-general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDIP, with bribing an election official with 57,530 Singapore dollars (US$44,962) in exchange for a parliamentary seat for a politician he preferred. In last year's presidential election, the PDIP had backed a rival to Prabowo Subianto, who won by a landslide. Hasto was acquitted of another charge – obstruction of justice – for helping the favoured politician to escape detention and tampering with evidence by submerging phones in water. "It was proven legally and convincingly that the defendant provided the money ... It was proven that he gave money to a government official," Judge Sigit Herman Binaji said. However, it was not proven that Hasto had obstructed the bribery case by instructing his staff to submerge the phones in water, another judge said, adding that investigations into the matter continued. "Praise to God that it was unproven for the obstruction of justice charge," Hasto said at a press conference after the trial. Hasto's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether his client would appeal. The investigation implicating Hasto began five years ago, during the presidency of Prabowo's predecessor Joko Widodo, who at the time was a PDIP member. Widodo severed ties with the party after it backed different candidates in the 2024 election. Some analysts view Widodo's tacit support for Prabowo – with Widodo's son running as Prabowo's vice president – as a key factor in delivering Prabowo to high office. Last week, the same court sentenced Thomas Trikasih Lembong, a former trade minister and vocal government critic, to four and a half years in jail for improperly granting sugar import permits.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Indonesia court jails PDIP official in bribery case
JAKARTA: An Indonesian court on Friday sentenced a senior politician from the only opposition party in parliament to 3-1/2 years in jail, in a bribery case linked to a parliamentary appointment. Prosecutors had charged Hasto Kristiyanto, secretary general of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, or PDIP, with bribing an election official with 57,530 Singapore dollars ($44,962) in exchange for a parliamentary seat for a politician he preferred. In last year's presidential election, the PDIP had backed a rival to Prabowo Subianto, who won by a landslide. Hasto was acquitted of another charge, of obstruction of justice, for helping the favoured politician to escape detention and tampering with evidence by submerging phones in water. 'It was proven legally and convincingly that the defendant provided the money ... It was proven that he gave money to a government official,' judge Sigit Herman Binaji said. However, it was not proven that Hasto had obstructed the bribery case by instructing his staff to submerge the phones in water, another judge said, adding that investigations into the matter continued. 'Praise to God that it was unproven for the obstruction of justice charge,' Hasto said at a press conference after the trial. Hasto's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether his client would appeal. The investigation implicating Hasto began five years ago, during the presidency of Prabowo's predecessor Joko Widodo, who at the time was a PDIP member. Widodo severed ties with the party after it backed different candidates in the 2024 election. Some analysts view Widodo's tacit support for Prabowo, with Widodo's son running as Prabowo's vice president, as a key factor delivering Prabowo to high office. Last week, the same court sentenced Thomas Trikasih Lembong, a former trade minister and vocal government critic, to 4-1/2 years in jail for improperly granting sugar import permits. ($1 = 1.2795 Singapore dollars) - Reuters
CNA
22-07-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Jokowi says ‘fully supports' party chaired by son, but is the ex-president eyeing a bigger political vehicle?
JAKARTA: In his most extensive remarks on his next potential political vehicle after stepping down as Indonesia's seventh president, Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo has said he will fully support the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) chaired by his youngest son. Analysts said that by throwing his weight behind PSI, there will be public expectation for the former president to help it perform better in the 2029 general election than its abysmal showing in previous polls. But his involvement in PSI remains unclear and is far from certain, given that Jokowi is not even a PSI member and does not have a formal leadership role, observers said, adding that he could be eyeing a position in another bigger party. The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) had backed Jokowi's political career and two successful presidential bids, but he had to leave the party in 2024 after deciding not to endorse PDI-P presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo. Jokowi enjoyed high approval ratings during his two terms in office. But since stepping down as president in October 2024, signs are that Jokowi's influence is waning amid speculation over his health and whether he would take up a leadership role in a party as a vehicle to retain political relevance. So all eyes were on him last weekend as he spoke at the PSI Congress in Solo, where his son Kaesang Pangarep, 30, expectedly won a re-election as chairman of the youth-driven party. 'I will fully support PSI… I will work hard for PSI,' Jokowi told party members and supporters last Saturday (Jul 19). Jokowi also urged the party to finalise its organisational structure to help PSI better understand the aspirations of people across Indonesia. Typically, after a party congress, its chairman will decide other leadership positions. 'If the target for 2029 is simply to enter Senayan (parliament), I think that shouldn't be the target—because that must happen. It's too small if our goal is only to get into Senayan,' said Jokowi. When asked by reporters the next day what form his support for PSI might take, Jokowi simply reiterated that he would offer his 'full support'. 'It will be full support, which means working hard. I can be at the front, behind, or even in the middle,' said Jokowi, as quoted by news outlet Tempo. WHAT IS PSI? PSI was founded in November 2014 by a group of young activists promoting clean, transparent, and diversity-driven politics. Its first leader was Grace Natalie, a former journalist of Chinese-Indonesian descent. The absence of a strong influential figure has contributed to PSI's poor performance in the past two elections, said analysts. In the 2019 election, PSI secured only 1.89 per cent of the vote—well below the 4 per cent parliamentary threshold to win a seat. PSI then sought to rebrand itself by appointing Giring Ganesha, a former rock band vocalist, as its new leader. He was later replaced in 2023 by Kaesang after the party hit a low point and aimed to attract younger voters. PSI appointed Kaesang as party chairman just two days after he officially joined the party. Prior to that, Kaesang was a businessman with no political experience. Kaesang's leadership did help PSI increase its vote share to 2.80 per cent in last year's legislative elections, but it still fell short of the electoral threshold. PSI founder Jeffrie Geovanie admitted that appointing Kaesang in 2023 was a strategic move to capitalise on the Jokowi family name. Without that, he said, the party risked collapse due to declining popularity. 'If we don't even get even a drop of blood, a single support from the Jokowi family—or Jokowi himself — we might as well shut the party down,' Jeffrie said at the PSI congress over the weekend, recounting what he told party members before Kaesang was first appointed chairman in 2023. Kaesang was re-elected last weekend as chairman after securing more than 60 per cent of the votes, defeating two other candidates. JOKOWI AS PSI PATRON OR IS HE AIMING FOR SOMETHING BIGGER? Observers suggest that Jokowi's support for PSI may be in the form of a patron rather than a formal leadership post alongside his son. 'PSI's weakness all along has been its lack of a strong patron,' Ambang Priyonggo, assistant professor of political communication at the Multimedia Nusantara University, told CNA. 'Jokowi can influence public perception, so he will support the party from behind the scenes.' Agung Baskoro, a political analyst from the think tank Trias Politika Strategis, agreed, adding that the relationship between Jokowi and PSI is a mutually beneficial one. 'PSI needs a figure like Jokowi. Meanwhile, Jokowi needs a political vehicle to shield himself and his family from political attacks, as well as to protect his legacy and influence,' said Agung. Political communication analyst and KedaiKOPI survey institute founder Hendri Satrio noted that Jokowi now carries a big responsibility to elevate PSI's reputation, and will likely go 'all out' to do so, as PSI's resurgence would also help restore his own public image. 'If PSI collapses, the embarrassment falls on Jokowi. The party is trying to shift the burden of raising voter support onto the Jokowi family,' Hendri told CNA. According to Ambang of Multimedia Nusantara University, it is likely that Jokowi has not joined PSI as a leader or member because he sees his stature as bigger than that of the party. 'Someone of Jokowi's calibre is too big for PSI,' Ambang said. Furthermore, saying that he supports PSI does not preclude him from officially joining a more established party. 'There's a chance Jokowi could join another political vehicle. There's one party clearly affiliated with him — he could be recruited by that party: Golkar,' said Ambang. Agreeing, Made Supriatma, a visiting fellow at Singapore's ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute, believes that Jokowi is aiming to align with another party beyond PSI, calling "Golkar the ultimate prize". 'PSI has major limitations. It's run by Gen Z youth with minimal experience and no grassroots base,' Made told CNA. 'They're not from circles accustomed to political manoeuvring — unlike Golkar.' Golkar was part of Jokowi's two governments when he was president and had consistently supported his policies. Speculation about Jokowi joining Golkar has circulated since last year, though it has yet to materialise. Following the resignation of its leader Airlangga Hartarto in August 2024, Golkar appointed Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, a key Jokowi ally, as its chairman. Made said that Golkar, founded in the 1960s during the New Order era, is arguably the most suitable party for Jokowi. However, he added that such a move would not be easy given Jokowi's waning political influence and the view among some in Golkar of him as someone who never contributed to building the party. Ambang also pointed out internal divisions within Golkar between factions that support Jokowi and those that oppose him. JOKOWI'S POLITICAL STANDING Observers whom CNA spoke to generally agreed that Jokowi still holds some political sway due to his former presidential status, but his influence is on the decline. 'In terms of electoral coattail effects, Jokowi likely doesn't have the same pull as before. His term is over, and issues like the fake diploma allegations have eroded his image,' said Ambang, referring to lawsuits filed based on such claims which have been denied by Jokowi and his university. Made of ISEAS Yusof-Ishak Institute added that many of Jokowi's former supporters have turned against him. This is especially after his other son Gibran Rakabuming Raka became vice-president following a controversial Constitutional Court ruling that lowered age requirements for presidential candidates and allowed the then 36-year-old to contest in last year's election. 'It's almost impossible for Jokowi to return to power. The post-Prabowo era will belong to the younger generation,' Made said, referring to President Prabowo Subianto. Analysts also downplayed the significance of Prabowo's recent visit to Solo to meet Jokowi for an hour, reportedly to brief his predecessor about the completion of the Indonesia-European Union Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. Negotiations for the agreement had started during Jokowi's term and had taken 10 years before concluding earlier this month. Made said that the visit was just a way for Prabowo to still show respect to Jokowi, whom Prabowo had said played a crucial role in securing his victory in last year's presidential election. 'He didn't go there to report anything. There's no downside for Prabowo in continuing to respect Jokowi,' Made said. met with PDIP chair Megawati Soekarnoputri.
CNA
17-07-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Indonesia minister's move to declare National Culture Day on President Prabowo's birthday sparks backlash
JAKARTA: A designated National Culture Day coinciding with Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto's birthday has come under fire from senior political figures and academics. They challenged the date's cultural and historical significance amid growing concerns over the politicisation of national symbols and figures, and raised questions over perceived attempts to curry favour politically. Politicians such as House Speaker Puan Maharani have urged Culture Minister Fadli Zon to explain his decision to choose Oct 17 as the National Culture Day. 'I'm asking for a clearer explanation of the basis and reasoning behind the decision, in order to avoid ongoing public debate,' Puan said at the parliamentary complex on Tuesday (Jul 15), as quoted by CNN Indonesia. She added that she has instructed Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives, which oversees cultural affairs in the country among other sectors, to look into the matter in greater detail. 'Culture belongs to all people, across generations, across eras and so on, so it must not be made exclusive,' Puan, who is also the daughter of former President Megawati Soekarnoputri, said. Puan is part of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Indonesia's largest political party, which is not part of the ruling government. Critics condemned the lack of public consultation and transparency surrounding the decision, with some accusing Fadli, who is a close ally of the president, of attempting to flatter Prabowo, local news outlet Jakarta Post reported. 'People don't seem to object to National Poetry Day (because the date makes sense),' historian Asvi Warman Adam told Jakarta Post. He added: 'But with National Culture Day, the issue is that it falls on Prabowo's birthday, raising questions whether ministers like Fadli even have the authority to issue such commemorative dates.' Fadli's decision to declare Dec 17 as the National Pantun (Poetry) Day via a separate decree on the same date last week had drawn less criticism as it coincides with the day UNESCO officially recognised pantun - a traditional Malay four-line rhyming poem - as part of the world's intangible cultural heritage, according to Jakarta Post. WHY OCT 17? In response to the criticism, Fadli defended the decision by highlighting Oct 17's historical significance. The date coincides with the day Indonesia's founding President Soekarno formally established 'Garuda Pancasila' as the national emblem and 'Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity)' as the national motto in 1951. Garuda Pancasila symbolises the country's identity, unity and official state ideology "Pancasila", which comprises the five core principles of the country. 'Bhinneka Tunggal Ika is not just a motto but a philosophy of life for the Indonesian people that reflects cultural richness, tolerance and unity in diversity,' Fadli said in a written statement on Monday, as quoted by local media. He said that the idea of declaring a National Cultural Day was raised by a group of artists and cultural practitioners from Yogyakarta, known as the Nine Plus Garuda Team, who had conducted a study since January this year. 'They then presented their findings to the Ministry of Culture after several rounds of in-depth discussions,' said the Gerindra Party politician, noting that the group consists of both traditional and contemporary cultural figures, reported Tempo. He added that the government aims to utilise the new National Culture Day to raise public awareness about cultural values, preserve national identity and establish Indonesian culture as a cornerstone of national development, reported Jakarta Post. 'Oct 17 is a pivotal moment in the journey of our national identity but it's not just about history, it's about preserving the future of Indonesian culture,' he said on Monday. Indonesian actor and cultural figure Butet Kartaredjasa has questioned the relevance of associating the National Culture Day with the day the country's national emblem was formalised, positing that it holds no direct cultural significance. 'The process, particularly the date selection, feels abrupt and artificial. There was no thorough review,' Butet told Jakarta Post on Tuesday. 'Even if a group of nine artists proposed it, can nine people truly represent cultural practitioners across the entire country?' He added that if having a National Culture Day was necessary, a more meaningful choice would be on Jul 5 or Jul 7, which are the opening and closing dates of Indonesia's first Culture Congress held in 1918 in Surakarta in Central Java. Historian Asri also questioned Fadli's authority to unilaterally declare a national commemoration day, highlighting that such designations have traditionally been made by the president through a presidential decree and not a ministerial one, reported Jakarta Post. The designated date has also drawn criticism from some online. 'Culture Day is designated on the birthday of his idol, what culture are we talking about?' said a netizen on X on Monday. This is not the first time Fadli has come under fire as culture minister. His ministry's initiative to revise Indonesia's official historical narrative by launching a new 10-volume series of history books to coincide with the country's 80th Independence Day celebrations on Aug 17 has drawn criticism from historians, human rights activists and politicians, as he confirmed that the books will not include the mass rapes committed during the 1998 riots. Speaking during the parliamentary hearing earlier this month, Fadli acknowledged the 1998 sexual violence but questioned the use of the term 'mass rape', which he said requires legal and historical verification. He added that the revision of the country's official historical narrative aims to promote national unity that avoids deepening ethnic and communal divisions through a positive retelling of key events. This sparked emotional reactions from PDI-P lawmakers MY Esti Wijayati and Mercy Barends. Fadli had earlier stirred controversy in June when he said that the mass rapes were 'all hearsay' and 'rumours'. Some historians say these history books will omit major human rights violations. The unrest in Indonesia in 1998 arose from economic turmoil and mounting anger at former President Suharto's authoritarian rule. Chinese-Indonesians were targeted in riots that broke out in various cities in May that year, days before Suharto resigned.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Politician's old speech falsely linked to Indonesia military law protests
"Adian Napitupulu will mobilise even more students. It turns out that a PDIP member is the one behind the protest against the TNI Bill," reads the Indonesian-language text overlay on a clip posted on SnackVideo on March 26, 2025. "Freedom! Freedom! Ladies and gentlemen, all comrades in struggle, thank you for your effort and patience since this morning," he could be heard saying. The video was placed on top of an image showing protesters against the TNI (Indonesian military) bill, which passed into law March 20. It was pushed mainly by President Prabowo Subianto's coalition and was aimed at expanding the military's role beyond defence (archived link). The new legislation has sparked fears of a return to the era of late dictator Suharto, under whom Prabowo, an ex-general, once served -- and which saw the military used to crack down on dissent. Adian's PDIP party initially opposed the bill but later supported the amendments. House Speaker Puan Maharani, daughter of party chair Megawati Sukarnoputri, officially ratified the bill (archived link). Comments indicate users believed similar postson SnackVideo and TikTok which have racked up tens of thousands of views. "This is PDIP's plan, they want to overthrow President Prabowo Subianto," one wrote. Another said: "Arrest these people immediately, they are clearly provocateurs." A reverse image search on Google using the video's keyframes led to a news report with similar footage from Indonesian media outlet Viva on February 20, 2025 (archived link). The title of the YouTube clip reads: "[FULL] Adian Speaks in Front of the KPK After Hasto Becomes a Suspect." It depicts Adian calling for the release of Hasto Kristiyanto, a senior official for the PDIP arrested for allegedly obstructing the investigation into a bribery case involving a party member (archived link). "This shows our secretary general that he is not alone. That he is not walking alone, not fighting alone," Aidan is heard further saying in the video. "Our presence from this afternoon until tonight sends a message to our chairperson that PDIP remains united. We can still stand together." At no point in the video did he mention revisions to the country's military law. Another Indonesian media outlet, KompasTV, recorded the protest from a different angle (archived link). Further reverse image searches found the picture in the circulating posts was taken from a CNN Indonesia news report on March 24, 2025. The report covered a chaotic protest against the military law in the port city Surabaya (archived link).
