Nearly Half of Parliamentary Members Absent at Plenary Session Before Eid

Nearly 286 of 579 members of the People’s Consultative Assembly (DPR) were absent from the 15th plenary session marking the opening of the fourth parliamentary sitting of 2025-2026 on Tuesday, 10 March.

DPR Speaker Puan Maharani chaired the plenary session opening the new parliamentary sitting following a month’s recess that began before Ramadan in mid-February.

“According to the records of the DPR Secretariat General, 273 members signed the attendance list at the beginning of today’s plenary session, with 20 members on approved leave, bringing the total attendance to 293 of 579 members,” Puan said in opening remarks.

The plenary session had no substantive agenda other than Puan’s address. In her speech, she extensively addressed the geopolitical conflict in the Middle East resulting from the war between Iran, the United States, and Israel.

Speaking on behalf of DPR leadership, Puan expressed condolences over the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a joint attack by the US and Israel on 28 February.

“On behalf of the Leadership and Members of the People’s Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia, we extend our deepest condolences on the passing of His Excellency Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Puan stated.

As a nation that upholds state sovereignty, Indonesia, Puan noted, extended sympathy to the entire Iranian people.

“The DPR supports all diplomatic efforts and initiatives, whether conducted bilaterally, regionally, or multilaterally, to encourage all parties to exercise restraint and avoid wider escalation of the conflict,” she said.