AHY Explains SBY's Absence from Annual MPR Session

Democratic Party Chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) has explained the reason his father, Indonesia’s sixth president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY), could not attend today’s annual MPR session in person on Friday (14/8).

He said his father is currently undergoing medical examinations abroad.

AHY, who is also Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, said that before attending the joint session of the MPR, DPR and DPD at the parliamentary complex on Friday morning, he had a video call with SBY. According to him, the series of health examinations is proceeding well, although several stages are still ongoing.

“I just had a video call with him. Alhamdulillah, there is a series of examinations (health),” AHY told journalists as he entered the plenary session hall at the parliamentary complex in Central Jakarta.

According to AHY, the results of the first stage of examinations showed good condition, while further examinations are still being carried out, so the family asks for prayers that the entire process runs smoothly.

“The first examination results were good, but there are several subsequent stages still in progress. So please pray that Mr SBY is granted good health and can continue his activities,” said AHY.

AHY added that SBY also sent prayers from afar for Indonesia to become more advanced and its people more prosperous, in line with the commemoration of the 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia.

“He certainly prays from afar that this country, the Indonesia we all love, can become more advanced and its people more prosperous,” AHY said briefly.

News that SBY is undergoing health checks abroad was previously conveyed by the Democratic Party’s Central Executive Board.

Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Party Benny K. Harman revealed that SBY would not attend a number of events in the series marking Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day because he is undergoing health checks in the United States.

He said SBY is likely to undergo the health checks until the end of August 2026. As such, SBY will not attend the Annual MPR Session at the parliamentary complex or the 81st Independence Day ceremony at Merdeka Palace.

“He is having a check-up in America (US), until the end of the month,” said Benny at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Tuesday (11/8).

On Friday, the MPR, DPR and DPD held the Annual MPR Session and the Joint Session of the DPR and DPD, one of the agendas of which was President Prabowo Subianto’s speech for the delivery of the performance reports of state institutions and the State Address of the President of the Republic of Indonesia in the context of the 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia. In addition to the speech, the government will also screen a video of government performance achievements.

The annual session is a state agenda to welcome the 81st Anniversary of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia.