Prabowo and Gibran Not Seated Side-by-Side at Plenary Cabinet Session, Palace Explains

Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi explained that the positioning of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who were not seated side-by-side during the Plenary Cabinet Session on Monday (20/7/2026), was solely due to the technical needs of the meeting. The seating arrangement was related to President Prabowo’s requirement to deliver a presentation. “Because he (President Prabowo) wanted to explain a great many programmes, and as you may have noticed, the volume of programmes also had to be supported by data. Therefore, yesterday he used a teleprompter as an aid. That answers the question regarding the layout,” Prasetyo said at the Presidential Palace Complex in Jakarta on Tuesday (21/7/2026). He added that the President was positioned in the centre and that any questions regarding the Vice President’s position were simply a matter of technical necessity. Prasetyo stressed there was nothing to be concerned about regarding the seating arrangement, including speculation about the relationship between the President and Vice President or the equality of their positions. “Not at all. There is absolutely no issue. We are currently in a state of strong solidarity, all working hard to achieve the President’s directives and the national priority work programme, solely for the interests of the people, the nation, and the state,” Prasetyo asserted. He also noted that the Plenary Cabinet Session led by President Prabowo at the State Palace was a routine mid-year meeting following the end of the first semester, with the previous session having been held on 13 March 2026.