Projo, A Real Example Of False Loyalty In Politics

JAKARTA The plan to replace the Projo logo as stated by Budi Arie Setiadi raises the news that the volunteer organization no longer provides support to Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

The Projo Congress which was held at the Grand Sahid Jaya Hotel, Jakarta, Sunday (2/11/2025) is in the spotlight. In addition to choosing Budi Arie Setiadi to return as General Chair for the 2025-2030 period, Projo also announced the change in the logo of the organization and added to declaring his commitment to support President Prabowo Subianto.

At the congress, Budi said Projo would change the logo so that there would be no more silhouettes of former President Jokowi.

"What is certain is this, one, we will strengthen and support President Prabowo's political agendas. Second, in that context, Projo will transform the organization, one of which is the possibility of changing the Projo logo," he said.

This statement clearly raises questions among the public, are Budi Arie and Projo still behind Jokowi?

Projo and Jokowi are two inseparable things. Founded through the I Projo Congress on December 23, 2013 or ahead of the 2014 presidential election by PDI-P cadres and 1998 student activists, including Budi Arie Setiadi, Gunawan Wirosaroyo, and Suryo Sumpeno.

The formation of Projo is nothing but to support Jokowi running as a presidential candidate for the 2014 presidential election. Projo's contribution is said to have played a major role in Jokowi's victory, even in the next period in 2019. Projo also gave support to Jokowi's eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, when he ran in the 2024 presidential election as vice presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto.

But now everything has changed. Projo's loyalty to Jokowi was questioned when the former Governor of DKI Jakarta no longer served as the number one person in Indonesia.

The confusing news about Projo and Jokowi's relationship has become public attention lately. According to a number of circles, Projo no longer supports Jokowi, a figure who has been defended since 2013, after sticking out issues related to Budi Arie's desire to join Gerindra, rather than PSI.

Rumors of Projo and Jokowi's relationship are getting more and more widespread after last weekend's congress. The seventh president Jokowi is known to have not attended the congress, and he gave a speech only through video recordings.

In addition, Budi Arie also emphasized that he would replace the Projo logo, so that the existing silhouette symbol of Jokowi's face would soon change designs. However, the former Minister of Communication and Information (Menkominfo) emphasized that the change was a form of organizational transformation to face the challenges of the times.

Another thing that also gives the impression that Projo is no longer intimate with Jokowi is Budi Arie's rebuttal that Projo stands for Pro Jokowi, as the wider community believes so far. This abbreviation, said Budi, was actually present from the media, even though Projo originally came from Sanskrit or Javanese Kawi.

He said, the media often mentions the projo in Sanskrit as the abbreviation of "Pro Jokowi" because it is easy to say.

"So the projo itself means that it is a country in Sanskrit, and in Javanese Kawi it means the people," said Budi during the Projo Third Congress procurement.

However, Budi Arie emphasized that Projo could not be separated from Jokowi because he was born from the spirit of the former mayor of Solo.

Budi Arie has repeatedly denied changing the logo and sound of support for Prabowo as a sign of the tenuous relationship with Jokowi. However, observers do not consider it so.

Political researcher from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Aisah Putri said the steps taken by Projo were part of efforts to escape Jokowi's shadow and follow the political group that is currently in power, namely Prabowo and Gerindra.

"This can be seen clearly not only from Budi Arie's attitude to want to enter Gerindra, but also from changing the Projo logo, which was previously Jokowi's silhouette, at the same time mentioning the meaning of Projo's name which turned out to be not directly related to Jokowi," said Aisah.

A political observer from the State Islamic University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta Adi Prayitno assessed that Budi Arie was playing on two legs. On the one hand, he wants to join the ruling party. However, on the other hand, he still maintains Projo as a volunteer organization.

Publik tahu bahwa sikap relawan politik seperti ini sangat tergantung arah politik mere boss mereka. Jadi, relawan ini rasa partai politik karena afiliasi politiknya jelas, katanya.

Meanwhile, political observer Agung Baskoro assessed that Projo and Budi Arie needed a new political backup after Jokowi no longer served as president. This is the background for changing the Projo logo and declaration of commitment to support Prabowo.

After becoming an ordinary person, Projo's relationship with Jokowi did not provide maximum political incentives. For this reason, Budi Arie needs maneuvers to maintain his existence in the political arena.

"The political steps taken by Budi Arie, chairman of Projo, to enter Gerindra and replace the Projo logo so that it is not identical to Pak Jokowi is a logical and realistic political pragmatism step," said Agung.

"Like it or not, Budi Arie and Projo need a new political backup after Pak Jokowi no longer serves," he concluded.