Bobby Nasution Explains Walk Out from North Sumatra DPRD Plenary Session

North Sumatra Governor Bobby Nasution has broken his silence over his decision to walk out of the DPRD North Sumatra plenary session on the accountability report for the implementation of the 2025 regional budget (APBD).

According to him, he and the ranks of the Regional Apparatus Organisations (OPD) left the venue because the plenary session had essentially finished. However, afterwards members of the North Sumatra DPRD from the PDI Perjuangan faction raised objections over the lack of a quorum.

“They said the quorum issue would be discussed again. As far as I’m concerned, the session was scheduled for 9am and it did start, albeit late, because of the quorum issue. But the whole series of plenary business had already been completed. At the end, it was suddenly questioned and debated among DPRD members themselves,” Bobby Nasution said in Medan on Saturday (25 July).

Bobby also expressed bemusement that the quorum issue was raised by the PDI Perjuangan faction, which, according to information he received, had one of the lowest attendance rates at the meeting.

“From what was conveyed to me, those questioning the quorum came from the faction that, if I’m not mistaken, had the fewest members present. This was relayed to me — I don’t know whether it’s true or not, because I wasn’t the one holding the attendance list,” he said.

Bobby stressed the importance of maintaining boundaries between the executive and legislative branches. According to him, the OPD officials attended in response to an invitation to fulfil a constitutional obligation, not to interfere in or listen to internal council disputes.

“That’s between them — DPRD members and DPRD members. They said there was another meeting at the same time; that’s the DPRD’s business, not ours in the executive. So because there were other activities, we left the venue. It was already finished anyway,” he said.

According to Bobby, the executive attended the plenary session as invitees fulfilling a constitutional duty, not to become embroiled in the legislature’s internal affairs.

“I said we were going home, and apparently the same issue kept coming up, so I said let’s go home. The OPD is not part of the legislature. We were there as the executive, as invitees. If they’re quarrelling internally among themselves, why should we executives sit there listening? That’s simply not customary,” he explained.

Bobby’s walk-out had sparked speculation of a political rift between him and his supporting parties in the North Sumatra DPRD. However, Bobby rejected that notion, asserting that those who questioned the quorum were not from his supporting parties but from the PDI Perjuangan faction.

“As far as I know, those who raised it came from the party I mentioned earlier (PDI Perjuangan). Not from the supporting parties,” he said.

Previously, Governor Bobby Nasution suddenly walked out of the plenary session with North Sumatra DPRD members while it was still under way, on Tuesday (21 July).

At the time, Syahril Siregar, a North Sumatra DPRD member from the PDI Perjuangan faction, suddenly raised a point of order just as the Budget Board’s report and the reading of the draft joint decision between the DPRD and the North Sumatra Governor on the accountability of the 2025 APBD implementation were being concluded.

“A point of order, Chair. At the very least, the Chair should read out how many members agreed and disagreed. Secondly, we need to see the signatures on what is effectively the draft APBD regional regulation, which must comply with the rules of procedure,” he said.

He argued that two-thirds of North Sumatra DPRD members must sign the document directly and be physically present.

“We all know that the factions in the North Sumatra DPRD warmly welcomed the budget implementation. Feedback from field visits noted some matters that were and were not in line with conditions on the ground, which will be noted going forward. Therefore, looking at the rules of procedure, the number of attendees and those present must be recorded so that the rules of procedure remain a proper guide,” he said.

Hearing this, the Speaker of the North Sumatra DPRD, Erni, attempted to read out the number of faction members who had signed and were present at the meeting. However, another interruption came from Arifay Tambunan, a member of the Gerindra faction.

“A point of order, Chair. At the same time there is a hearing on fuel, subsidised petrol and students’ demands — if a recess is possible, how can there be a plenary and a hearing at the same time?” he said.

Nevertheless, Erni said the council leadership remained complete and that DPRD members had been declared to have met the quorum.

“The entire council leadership is still complete, and DPRD members have been declared in quorum, because the number of signatures on the attendance list has reached 69,” she explained.

However, Syahril raised yet another interruption.

“Permission, Chair. In response to the faction’s response to Mr Rifai, I agree there should be no hearing, because this is sacred, for the interests of the people of North Sumatra. I request a temporary recess and for the secretary to call everyone back in,” he said.

As the debate dragged on, Bobby Nasution initially summoned his team. Not long afterwards, he rose from his seat and left the meeting room. Bobby also asked all OPD officials attending the plenary session to leave the room.

“OPD, out,” Bobby said, asking one of the OPD officials to call out to all OPD staff still inside.

In fact, the next agenda item was to have been the joint signing of the decision between the DPRD and the Governor of North Sumatra on the accountability of the 2025 North Sumatra provincial budget. Because of Bobby’s walk-out, the plenary session for that joint signing was ultimately postponed.