May 6, 2024
JAKARTA – President-elect Prabowo Subianto’s plan to form a so-called club of presidents has generally received a warm welcome from political parties across the spectrum, but a series of unresolved conflicts between his predecessors may become a stumbling block.
Prabowo spokesperson Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak said on Friday that the “presidents’ club” is expected to be a place for former presidents to sit together and exchange views over “strategic problems faced by the nation” and offer insights to the incoming president.
The club could include former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his predecessor Megawati Soekarnoputri and outgoing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
Jokowi, who will end his tenure in October, has welcomed the creation of the club, suggesting that he would be willing to make time for his successor. “One meeting every two days would be fine,” he said on Friday.
Political parties in Prabowo’s coalition, particularly the Democratic Party, have thrown their support behind the proposal, saying that it would enrich the president-elect’s perspective in navigating the nation.
The Democratic Party was founded by Yudhoyono and became his political vehicle when he ran for president in 2004 and 2014.
Herzaky Mahendra of the Democratic Party told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that “Indonesia today is grateful to have three living [former] presidents [who] have direct experience with various national problems. [They are] very valuable and can give valuable input to Prabowo to help him with future decision-making.”
Such a forum would also allow “the nation’s best figures, who have carried out the people’s mandate as presidents, continue to dedicate themselves and their service by sharing their thoughts and experiences with the president-elect”, said Democratic Party politician Kamhar Lakumani.
Read also: Opposition weakens as rivals pledge support for Prabowo
The plan to set up a presidents’ club has also been welcomed by Megawati’s own party the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), although with caution.
The PDI-P, whose presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo lost in the February election, previously hinted that it may take up the role of opposition to Prabowo’s incoming government.
“The plan is a good idea. The forum reflects the great spirit of our national leadership. But it certainly should not be aimed at forgetting the many negative things that happened in the last election, which we must correct very seriously,” PDI-P politician Hendrawan Supratikno told the Post.
“Let us wait for the details to be spelled out,” he added.
Tensions between PDI-P chairwoman Megawati and nominal member Jokowi have been brewing since he allowed his son Gibran Rakabuming Raka to run as Prabowo’s running mate on the rival ticket in the February election. The party had accused Jokowi of state intervention when he threw his weight behind Prabowo and Gibran over PDI-P candidate Ganjar.
Read also: Jokowi-Megawati rift may hinder Prabowo’s efforts to include PDI-P in his government
Analysts have praised the idea of setting up a presidents’ club to allow the sitting president to maintain communication with former presidents and so that the latter can offer their counsel on national problems and policies.
Ahmad Khoirul Umam of Paramadina University said it could become a channel where past presidents promote commitment to the values and high standards of the nation’s highest office and serve as a guardian of the presidential institution.
“The institution in general could help maintain the continuity, stability and integrity of the presidential institution in the country’s political system,” Umam said.
Agung Baskoro of think tank Trias Politika Strategis said the forum could help Prabowo maintain national unity and ease tension after the February presidential election, noting that “consolidating the public would become easier when Prabowo could embrace many different groups through former presidents.”
However, Agung was unsure whether and how Prabowo could persuade his predecessors to be in the same room, noting that Megawati has a souring relationship not only with Jokowi but with Yudhoyono as well.
Yudhoyono served Megawati as her chief security minister during her presidency from 2001 to 2004. But he quit the cabinet some months before his tenure ended to run for president against Megawati, and defeated her.
“While Megawati remains on good terms with Prabowo, what remains unanswered is whether she will be willing to meet Jokowi and Yudhoyono,” Agung said.
The best Prabowo can do after establishing the presidents’ club, Agung said, would be to hold one-on-one consultations with each of his predecessors.