Cak Imin: Prabowo's joke about PKB is only joking

PKB Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar or Cak Imin (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Chairman of the PKB, Muhaimin Iskandar, who is currently serving as Coordinating Minister for People's Empowerment, believes that there is no other intention behind President Prabowo Subianto's joke that "PKB must be monitored continuously".

"Yes (that) was joking, joking," said Muhaimin when met after the second volume of the Red and White Cabinet retreat at Prabowo's private residence, Padepokan Garuda Yaksa, Hambalang, Bogor Regency, West Java, quoted by Antara Tuesday, January 6.

On the same occasion, Muhaimin also immediately denied when asked about the joke as a signal of concern about PKB's political maneuver later.

"No, no, no. Joking, that's how it is, often so," said Muhaimin while walking towards his vehicle.

Muhaimin then ensured that there was nothing he needed to monitor. "Nothing," he said.

According to Muhaimin, such jokes are usually addressed to his party, regardless of the presence of the general chairman of another party in the room where the retreat takes place.

"Often so, joking like that, gojlok'an like that," said Muhaimin.

At the end of his 2026 early briefing delivered at the opening session of the retreat, President Prabowo reiterated the coalition of supporting parties to the government.

President Prabowo then continued to joke that the National Awakening Party (PKB) led by Muhaimin Iskandar must be monitored.

"Here our coalition is strong, right? All the party leaders are here, right? There. Is the PKB chairman there? Oh, like Mr. PKB who must be monitored," said Prabowo while closing the briefing session for the Red and White Cabinet at the Garuda Yaksa Training Center, Hambalang, Tuesday afternoon.

PKB, before joining the coalition of supporting parties to the government, had competed with Prabowo during the 2024 presidential election. Prabowo, who was paired with Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, was facing the pair of Anies Baswedan and Muhaimin Iskandar, then the pair of Ganjar Pranowo and Mahfud MD. The Anies-Muhaimin pair was then carried by PKB, PKS, and NasDem.

However, after the presidential election which was won by the pair of Prabowo-Gibran, PKB, PKS, and NasDem, they expressed their support for the government of President Prabowo. In the Red and White Cabinet line-up, PKB and PKS also got a share of seats, including Muhaimin, who is the Chairman of PKB, serving as Coordinating Minister for Social Empowerment, while Prof. Yassierli, who is now serving as Minister of Manpower, is a technocrat proposed by PKS.