Amien Rais: Keep Prabowo in Office Until 2029

Former Speaker of the Indonesian People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR), Amien Rais, has called upon all elements of the nation to maintain national political stability by upholding President Prabowo Subiandum’s administration until his term concludes on 20 October 2029.

The Chairman of the Majelis Syuro of the Ummat Party emphasised that the five-year cycle of power transition is a mandate of the 1945 Constitution that must be respected to prevent unnecessary political instability at the central government level.

“The rhythm of power transition every five years, in accordance with the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, must be maintained so that no central government is removed mid-term,” Amien stated in an official statement via his YouTube channel, Amien Rais Official.

According to Amien, a government should only be removed before its term expires in the event of extraordinary circumstances. He cited examples such as serious criminal acts, such as leaking state secrets to foreign parties for material gain, or involvement in fatal moral scandals.

Outside of such conditions, Amien believes President Prabowo Subianto should be given a fair opportunity to realise his eight priority programmes, known as Astra Cita. These programmes include strengthening Pancasila democracy, fulfilling human rights, enhancing defence and security, creating jobs, and promoting gender equality.

“Considering our political experience in the past, where there were five presidents in six years, which drained our national energy, we must give President Prabowo a fair chance. Let him work as hard as possible to achieve his goals until 20 October 2029,” he said.

The Complex Impeachment Mechanism

Amien highlighted that, under constitutional law, the process of impeaching a head of state in Indonesia is highly complex. Based on Article 7B of the 1945 Constitution, impeachment proposals must undergo strict multi-layered approvals in the House of Representatives (DPR), a 90-day evaluation by the Constitutional Court, and a final decision by the MPR.

Given the current political constellation and parliamentary leadership, he assessed that discourse regarding impeachment—whether against President Prabowo or Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka—is nearly impossible.

“Expecting members of the DPR-MPR to dare to force President Prabowo seems impossible. No matter how angry we are with Gibran, with the current leadership of the DPR-MPR, conducting an impeachment against Gibran would also be extremely difficult,” said the 1998 Reformation figure.

He subsequently recalled the dark memories of Indonesian political history during the 1998 to 2004 period, when the country experienced an unusual situation with five presidents changing in a short period, which he noted heavily depleted national energy.

Economic Slump and Potential Unrest

While supporting Prabowo completing his term, Amien did not deny his deep concerns regarding the current socio-economic situation. He noted that the nation’s condition is not stable, marked by waves of mass layoffs and sluggish economic activity in traditional markets.

On this basis, he urged Prabowo and his cabinet ministers to cease displays of luxury or entertainment activities that are insensitive to the hardships faced by the people.

“Reduce the atmosphere of ministerial revelry to the maximum extent possible. Especially for Mr Prabowo, he should never dance or be photographed in such a way, or engage in scenes of luxury that are broadcast to the public. The public reaction is uniform: anger,” he asserted.

He expressed concern that if economic pressures, such as the weakening of the rupiah and domestic bank runs, continue, it could trigger social unrest leading to a mass movement (people power) more fierce than that of 1998.