Indonesia VP Offers Resignation After Supreme Court Ruling
Gibran Rakabuming Raka proposed stepping down to President Prabowo Subianto following a dispute over his academic credentials and a widening rift with former President Joko Widodo.
By Hassan Ellis ·
Indonesia’s Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka offered his resignation to President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday, according to government officials. The move occurred after a Supreme Court ruling questioned the validity of the academic documents Raka used to qualify for office. The offer adds to a period of instability at the top of the country’s government.
State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi said the two leaders held talks for more than two hours at the presidential palace. Hadi told reporters that it was not immediately clear if Prabowo accepted the resignation. Instead, the president advised the vice president to keep pursuing legal options to prove his academic records were valid.
Raka, 39, is the son of former President Joko Widodo. He left his office later on Tuesday and spoke to reporters without directly answering questions about the resignation offer. He said he respects all public criticism regarding the current developments. Raka added that he does not want the situation to turn into a long-lasting political controversy.
The pressure on Raka stems from a Supreme Court decision made last month. The court ruled that the documents he submitted about his overseas education did not meet the legal requirements for the election. This ruling has increased calls from some lawmakers to impeach the vice president.
The academic dispute is separate from a police investigation into wiretapping. That probe looks into allegations that senior police officials, including General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, targeted the president. Listyo is the current president's chief of staff. He previously served as the national police chief under Widodo, who is not implicated in the wiretapping case.
The situation reflects a growing political distance between Prabowo and Widodo. Widodo, a popular former leader, supported Prabowo’s presidential campaign after Prabowo selected Raka as his running mate. Widodo now faces his own unrelated allegations that he used a fake university diploma, an accusation he denies.
