Not Enough Wantimpres, Gerindra Calls The Formation Of A Presidential Club To Be Exclusive

President-elect 2024 Prabowo Subianto in a speech at the Jakkarta KPU Building, Wednesday 24 April 2024 (Diah Ayu/VOI)

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairperson of the Gerindra Party, Habiburokhman responded to criticism about the presidential club or presidential club initiated by the elected President, Prabowo Subianto. The reason is, so far there has been a forum that the President of the Republic of Indonesia can use to get advice and input, namely through the Presidential Advisory Council (Wantimpres). Habiburokhman said that the previous presidents such as the 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputri, the 6th President of the Republic of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), and the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) need special means to provide ideas to each other to Prabowo. According to him, Prabowo is only preparing an exclusive place for the previous presidents, it is not enough just the Wantimpres. "Yes, we are also open, please if our friends want to propose whether it is included in the Wantimpres. The important thing is that there are facilities where the presidents who have served can provide input exclusively," said Habiburokhman, Monday, May 6.

Habiburokhman assessed that until whenever someone who has served as a leader in the country will still be referred to as president, not a former president. So according to him, the most honorable place must be given when he is no longer in office.

"He is the president who has served, of course we must give him a more honorable place," he said.

Therefore, the member of the DPR for the Jakarta electoral district considered that there needed to be special facilities for the previous presidents to submit input to the upcoming president.

"If (the previous presidents, ed) want to provide input, it must be facilitated specifically, different from for example Habiburokhman, if the president who has ever been in power must be given a special place," said the Deputy Chairman of Commission III of the DPR.