Dasco says Prabowo's praise for Megawati and PDIP is a sincere expression

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and chairing the DPP of the Gerindra Party, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, has responded to President Prabowo Subianto’s remarks about the position of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) outside the government. Dasco said the statement was not mere political lip service but a genuine admission.

According to Dasco, the President’s remarks constitute respect and appreciation for PDIP chair Megawati Soekarnoputri and all PDIP cadres. ‘When we look at it, it comes from the deepest heart. And the words, the appreciation for PDIP’s chair Ibu Megawati and for PDIP, that is a sincere expression,’ Dasco told reporters at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Wednesday (20/5). He emphasised that Gerindra and the governing coalition do not take issue with PDIP’s decision to act as a balancing force, seeing it positively to ensure checks and balances in the constitutional system function properly.

‘Constructive criticism from PDIP in Parliament has also been ongoing during President Prabowo’s administration,’ Dasco added.

President Prabowo expressed gratitude and respect for PDIP’s political decision to be outside the government. He said that a healthy democracy absolutely requires checks and balances. He praised PDIP’s move as a form of political ‘sacrifice’ to uphold the dignity of democracy, noting that being outside the government means giving up various state facilities. ‘Indeed not all parties here are part of the government. And I respect and value that. Our democracy needs checks and balances. I understand that PDIP sacrifices to be outside the government. Actually I want to say thank you to PDIP. You have contributed to our democracy,’ Prabowo said during his address at the 19th Plenary Session of the 2025-2026 Session Year at the Nusantara Building, Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Wednesday (20/5). He joked that as President, he actually desires a system of gotong royong in which all political parties join his administration. ‘If all parties were in government, how sweet it would be. How sweet it would be for me. But perhaps it would not be good. Every leader must be willing to be criticised, every executive must be supervised. Thank you for the supervision, friends,’ he added.

Earlier, in delivering the Macro Economic Framework and Key Fiscal Policy Principles (KEM-PPKF) for the 2027 RAPBN, President Prabowo Subianto specifically acknowledged and thanked the opposition’s role taken by PDIP. While personally hoping for a cabinet comprised of all parties, Prabowo acknowledged that the absence of opposition is not healthy for the democratic climate. ‘Indeed not all parties here are part of the government and I respect and value that. Our democracy needs checks and balances. I understand that PDIP sacrifices to be outside the government,’ the President said in an excerpt of his speech. ‘Actually I would like to thank PDIP. You have contributed to our democracy. What I want is gotong royong. If all parties were in government, how sweet it would be. But perhaps not good,’ he said. (Faj/P-3)

Chairwoman Megawati Sukarnoputri of PDIP reaffirmed her rejection of the idea of indirect elections, which she says could erode people’s sovereignty.

Megawati also expressed condolences over the Bekasi Timur railway accident and called for improvements to the national rail safety system.