Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Resigns as Parliament Advances Inquiry into Academic Credentials
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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has reportedly resigned from his post on Wednesday, stepping down as lawmakers across the political spectrum mobilized a formal parliamentary inquiry targeting his eligibility to hold office.
The confirmation was delivered by Budi Arie Setiadi, chairman of the prominent presidential volunteer organization Projo, when approached by journalists on Wednesday evening. "Correct," Budi Arie said, confirming that the vice president had tendered his resignation. Budi Arie did not disclose whether an official letter of resignation had been formally received by President Prabowo Subianto or elaborate on the immediate transition process.
Parliament Mobilizes Inquiry Under MD3 Law
The sudden resignation followed a rapid escalation in the House of Representatives (DPR), where 120 lawmakers spanning all eight parliamentary factions formally proposed exercising their right to express an opinion (HMP). The constitutional mechanism represents the preliminary legal step in parliamentary impeachment proceedings under Indonesian law.
House Deputy Speaker Saan Mustopa confirmed that the motion directly challenges Gibran's legal qualification to occupy the vice presidency following widespread public controversy surrounding the authenticity and equivalency of his academic credentials. "If you pay attention to what was conveyed by the proposers, this right to express an opinion pertains to the provisions of Article 79, Paragraph 4, Letter c of the MD3 Law, specifically the right to express an opinion on a vice president who no longer meets the requirements to serve as Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia," Saan said at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Wednesday.
The cross-party petition drew signatures from 28 lawmakers from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), 19 from the NasDem Party, 18 from the National Awakening Party (PKB), 18 from the Democratic Party, 14 from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), 11 from the Golkar Party, 11 from the Gerindra Party, and one from the National Mandate Party (PAN).
Plenary Vote Scheduled as Palace Pledges Respect for Process
Under parliamentary procedural statutes, the petition was formally accepted by House leadership pursuant to Article 211, Paragraph 1 of the MD3 Law and Article 192, Paragraph 1 of the House Rules of Procedure.
Saan explained that the initiative would immediately undergo leadership reviews before moving to a full chamber vote. "This proposal will subsequently be followed up in accordance with prevailing statutory laws and mechanisms," Saan said. "We will process it through the leadership meeting and then the Consultative Body (Bamus) meeting. In this plenary session, we will forward it, and based on the schedule, we will conduct that plenary meeting tomorrow."
Ahead of the parliamentary maneuver, the executive branch signaled that it would not interfere with the legislative challenge. Minister of State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi emphasized that the administration acknowledges the oversight authority vested in the legislature. "Regarding the process occurring in the DPR, that is naturally a political process that we must all mutually respect," Prasetyo stated at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Tuesday. "Regardless, there are indeed rights possessed by the DPR and by members of the DPR."
