Absent from Palace, Megawati Leads Independence Day Ceremony at PDIP Party School

PDI Perjuangan chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri led the 81st Independence Day commemoration ceremony in the courtyard of the At-Taufiq Mosque at the PDIP Party School in Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta. As a result, Megawati was absent from the independence ceremony at the State Palace.

According to detikcom’s observations at the PDIP Party School on Monday (17/8/2026), the ceremony began at around 09.25 WIB. Megawati appeared to be wearing red attire characteristic of the party bearing the white-snouted bull symbol.

Before the ceremony began, Megawati reviewed a visual gallery titled ‘Jejak Merdeka Putra Sang Fajar’ held in the PDIP Party School area. The exhibition explained the moments of the 1945 proclamation and the history of the relocation of Indonesia’s government centre at that time.

She appeared enthusiastic viewing various historical documentation, struggle posters and original newspaper clippings from the independence era displayed in the exhibition.

Head of the Indonesian History Agency of the PDIP Central Executive Board, Bonnie Triyana, appeared to explain to Megawati and her entourage a number of historical images of the moments of the Proclamation of Independence.

After reviewing the exhibition, Megawati headed to the ceremony site accompanied by her son, Prananda Prabowo, who is also Chair of the PDIP Central Executive Board for Creative Economy. The arrival of Indonesia’s 5th President was welcomed directly by PDIP Central Executive Board Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto.

A number of PDIP elites also appeared to be present at the location, including Ahmad Basarah, Djarot Syaiful Hidayat, Komarudin Watubun and Yasonna Laoly.

Megawati commemorated the Independence Day anniversary together with party officials, cadres from party management levels to PDIP task forces as well as party wings and bodies and party sympathisers who filled the ceremony area.

Previously, the certainty of Megawati’s absence from the Palace had been conveyed by PDIP Central Executive Board Chair Djarot Syaiful Hidayat. Djarot said Megawati was indeed scheduled to lead the ceremony at the party school.

‘God willing, Ibu Megawati will attend the Indonesian Independence Day ceremony at the party school,’ said Djarot when contacted.

Meanwhile, PDIP Central Executive Board Chair Andreas Hugo Pareira revealed that holding the ceremony at the Lenteng Agung Party School had become a regular annual tradition. According to him, Megawati would deliver a mandate focusing on reflecting on independence today.

‘Yes. Every year PDI Perjuangan holds the 17 August proclamation ceremony at the Party School in Lenteng Agung. Usually the proclamation commemoration mandate serves as a reflection on independence in the contemporary era,’ concluded Andreas.