Observer: Teddy's actions on LRT are not within Cabinet Secretary's formal authority

The Executive Director of Indonesia Political Opinion (IPO), Dedi Kurnability Syah, assesses that the actions of Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya in managing the positions of several individuals in a Jakarta LRT carriage were situational rather than part of his formal authority as Cabinet Secretary.

Speaking in Jakarta on Friday, Dedi stated that Teddy’s actions, which were captured in a video and subsequently went viral on social media, must be viewed within the full context of the event. The video recorded a moment when Teddy was accompanying President Prabowo Subianto during a trial run of the Jakarta LRT Kelapa Gading-Manggarai route on Wednesday (16/9).

In the circulating video clips, Teddy is seen asking several officials related to the LRT to move from the area of the carriage occupied by the President. The footage has led to various interpretations on social media, including allegations that Teddy was evicting LRT officials.

Dedi believes these differing interpretations arise because the public is viewing isolated clips without knowing the complete context behind Teddy’s actions. According to Dedi, the notion that Teddy was evicting LRT officials is difficult to accept given the nature of the President’s activity involving the LRT at that time.

“If we look at the reality of what might occur, it would be impossible for Cabinet Secretary Teddy to evict LRT officials while the President’s agenda involves the LRT. I believe that is something impossible,” he said.

Dedi noted that the repositioning of several people within the carriage was done to provide space for the President and a passenger with a disability. “It was merely moving positions to create space for Mr Prabowo and also for a passenger with a disability. Those are momentum-based actions, not formal actions or official dispositions,” he added.