Prabowo Calls Garuda CEO and Minister of Education and Technology to the Palace

Garuda Indonesia President Director (Dirut) Glenny Kairupan (left) arrives at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Monday (4/5/2026). ANTARA/Irfansyah Nasution.

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto summoned Garuda Indonesia President Director (Dirut) Glenny Kairupan and Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Mendiktisaintek) Brian Yuliarto to the Presidential Palace, Jakarta.

Glenny arrived at the Presidential Palace complex around 13.00 WIB, followed by Brian who entered the inner area of the Palace around 14.00 WIB.

Glenny, when asked by reporters, explained that he had not been able to reveal the agenda of the meeting with President Prabowo on Monday. He also did not convey to reporters the reports prepared for the President.

Apart from that, when asked about flights during the Hajj season, Glenny assessed that Hajj flights, especially those provided by Garuda Indonesia, went smoothly.

"Hajj is smooth all. [...] Yes, the main thing is that all the Hajj journey is good," said Glenny when answering a reporter's question.

Meanwhile, Brian Yuliarto who entered the inner area of the Palace with a number of documents, said he would talk about the contents of his meeting with President Prabowo after the meeting.

"I don't know (the agenda of the meeting, ed) later it will be from within only," said Brian.

At the Government Working Meeting, which was attended by 800 state officials including the BUMN board of directors, on Wednesday (8/4), President Prabowo ordered Garuda Indonesia to explore cooperation to form a joint venture with the Saudi Arabian national airline, Saudia Airlines.

The President explained that the joint venture could help Indonesia reduce the cost of the hajj, while providing benefits for Indonesian and Saudi Arabian national airlines.

"So, until now, Garuda's planes have departed to take (pilgrims) to the holy land, and they have returned empty. This is not economical, it doesn't make sense. Saudi Arabia is also like that. He returns (pilgrims) to Indonesia, they return empty. I said, why not cooperate? Make a subsidiary, 50 percent Saudi Arabia, 50 percent Indonesia," said President Prabowo in his briefing during the Government Working Meeting at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (8/4).

If the discourse is realized, then Garuda planes that deliver pilgrims to the holy land, can return with passengers. The same applies to Saudi planes, when they have finished transporting Indonesian pilgrims home, the planes can return to transport passengers to Saudi Arabia.

In the meeting, President Prabowo then summoned Glenny Kairupan.

Glenny, when called by the President, answered loudly: "Ready!"

The President then reminded Glenny that the instruction had been given two months ago. Therefore, the President also asked Glenny to meet and report on the follow-up to his instructions.

"Have you worked on it yet? I ordered it about two months ago. Yes, this must work quickly, later the Garuda President will meet me," said the President to Glenny.