Sultan HB X's Younger Brother Does Not Want The Question Of His Prolonged Dismissal

The younger brother of the Yogyakarta Palace King Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, GBPH Yudhaningrat when met at Dalem Yudhanegaran, Yogyakarta. (Luqman Hakim / Antara)

JAKARTA - The younger brother of the Yogyakarta Palace King Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, GBPH Yudhaningrat does not want the issue of his dismissal from a structural position in the palace to cause a prolonged polemic.

"We have no problem. We just pray. The problem is that we are not like Solo, continue to rebel, keep crashing into Regol. We are not like that," said Yudhaningrat when met at his residence in Dalem Yudhanegaran, reported by Antara, Tuesday, January 26.

He has informed the Sultan HB X's decision to dismiss himself as Penggede (Head) of the Kawedanan Hageng Punakawan Purwabudaya Keraton Yogyakarta to other palace relatives.

"We also apologize, brothers and sisters because they are no longer in office. If there is something that is not pleasing when carrying out our duties, please apologize," he said, who once served as Head of the DIY Cultural Service.

Yudhaningrat admitted that since the Sabda Raja and Sabda Tama were issued by Sultan HB X in 2015, he and his brother GBPH Prabukusumo decided they were no longer actively involved in the palace. This is a form of protest because the Sabda Raja is considered to have left the paugeran or the traditional palace system.

However, related to certain activities related to the arts, including during the Garebeg event, Yudha is still often involved as a manggala Yudha or warlord leading a line of soldiers guarding the gunungan.

During his tenure as Penggede Kawedanan Hageng Punakawan Purwabudaya Keraton Yogyakarta, Yudha admitted that he received a salary from the Palace of Rp.75,000 per month. However, this salary, according to him, he has not received since 2015.

Therefore, he denied the accusation that he ate a blind salary for five years. The salary was also emphasized not from privileged funds (danais) originating from the state budget. "It is from the official palace, not from the danais," he said.

As for the funds sourced from the fund, said Yudha, the government did not give him anything related to that position, but as an additional income as one of the princes of the Sultan's palace, HB IX.

The additional income, he said, includes his position as the prince of the palace, amounting to Rp3,190,000 per month, as well as Rp345,000 per month as mangalayuda, which is received by dirapel every four months.

This additional income, he said, was a consequence of the 2012 Privileges Law.

"So we receive an honorarium, it is our duty as a prince in the Yogyakarta Palace. A prince who (lives) in Jakarta who does not pay attention to palace matters is also given an honorarium," he said.

However, Yudha said the money from the government was not used to meet daily needs, but to buy feed for his pet horses. "My family and I are looking for something else," said Yudhaningrat.

Previously, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X dismissed his two half brothers, GBPH Prabukusumo and GBPH Yudhaningrat, from structural positions in the palace because they were considered to have been inactive for the past five years.

Through the letter Dhawuh Dalem: 01 / DD / HB 10 / Bakdamulud XII / Jumakir 1954/2020, the Sultan announced the change of position previously filled by his two half brothers.

The first chapter of the letter lists the replacement of the leadership of the Yogyakarta Palace in the Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Palace Parwabudaya which was previously led by Sri Sultan HB X's younger brother, GBPH Yudaningrat. With this letter, the position was then held by the Sultan's eldest daughter, namely GKR Mangkubumi.

The second chapter lists the change in the leadership of the Yogyakarta Palace in the Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat Karaton Nityabudaya field, where previously this position was held by another younger brother of Sultan HB X, namely GBPH Prabukusumo. The position is now filled by the daughter of Sultan HB X, namely GKR Bendana as the publication of this letter.

Sultan dismissed suggestions that the decision to dismiss his younger brother was motivated by a disagreement regarding Sabdatama and Sabdaraja issued in 2015.

"It has nothing to do with it. Yes, in fact, the one who doesn't agree with me if he continues to carry out his duties as a protector, I also don't stop," said the Sultan some time ago.