Pramoedya praised as the Opposition, Puan Emphasizes PDIP Does Not Seek to Bring Down

JAKARTA - Chairman of the DPP PDI Perjuangan (PDIP) Puan Maharani appreciates President Prabowo Subianto's statement praising PDIP as the opposition party in the DPR plenary session, Wednesday, May 20.

Puan said her party remained committed to providing constructive criticism and input on the course of government for the people's benefit. "Of course we really appreciate it," said Puan Maharani at the parliament complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday, May 21.

The DPR chairman emphasized that the criticism conveyed by PDIP was not to overthrow the government, but as a form of oversight in the democratic system. "The criticism is constructive criticism that builds. It is not a negative criticism, but rather provides positive input," he said.

Puan also dismissed the assumption that the position of PDIP as the only party outside the government would make his party in a position to lose against the majority of the government-supporting factions in the DPR. According to him, the most important thing is how PDIP can continue to provide useful input for the nation and state.

"This is not a conversation about one to seven (PDIP versus seven political party factions in the DPR). However, what we provide as input is input to be able to provide something constructive," he said.

Previously, President Prabowo Subianto in his speech at the DPR plenary meeting thanked PDIP for choosing to be outside the government. Prabowo assessed PDIP's attitude was important to maintain democracy through a check and balance mechanism against the government.

"Not all parties here are part of the government, and I respect, I appreciate it. Our democracy needs checks and balances," said Prabowo.

The President also acknowledged the criticism delivered by PDIP cadres was sometimes harsh. However, he assessed that the criticism had a good basis for reminding the government. "I realize that in the long run there may actually be a basis. There is a saying that if people remind us, even if we don't like to be warned, in fact he saves us," said Prabowo.

Prabowo even said that PDIP was a service to Indonesian democracy because it continued to carry out the function of oversight of the government in parliament.