Prabowo's Quip Makes Rocky Gerung Burst into Laughter: Turns Out He's Still a Dissident!

Jakarta, VIVA – Political commentator Rocky Gerung briefly shook hands and chatted with President Prabowo Subianto while attending the ministerial inauguration at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Monday, 27 April 2026.

In that moment, Rocky Gerung even burst into laughter after hearing Prabowo’s remark.

After the inauguration, Rocky recounted that Prabowo greeted him using the term “dissident” – a label for someone who disagrees with another person or group’s views.

“With Mr Prabowo, I shook hands earlier, and Mr Prabowo is an old friend from past discussions. And he said, ‘Wow, Mr Rocky, thank you for coming, and it turns out Mr Rocky is still a dissident,’ like that,” Rocky Gerung told reporters.

He explained that Prabowo’s facial expression at the time appeared joking. Rocky responded to the greeting with laughter and confirmed that he is indeed a dissident.

“But you could see his face was joking. Indeed, I am a dissident,” he emphasised.

For context, President Prabowo Subianto inaugurated six new officials in the Merah Putih Cabinet at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Wednesday, 27 April 2026.

The six officials in question include Chairman of the All-Indonesian Confederation of Trade Unions (KSPSI) Jumhur Hidayat, who was appointed as Minister of Environment and Forestry, replacing Hanif Faisol Nurofiq.

Meanwhile, Hanif Faisol filled the position of Deputy Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs.

Then, Head of the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) M Qodari was reassigned as Head of the Government Communication Agency (Bakom) of the Republic of Indonesia.

Qodari’s position at KSP was filled by former Army Chief of Staff General TNI (Ret.) Dudung Abdurachman, who currently serves as the president’s special advisor on national defence.

Furthermore, former Head of the Presidential Communication Office, Hasan Nasbi, was appointed as the president’s special envoy for communication affairs.

Former Minister of Protection for Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI) Abdul Kadir Karding also re-entered the cabinet as Head of the Indonesian Quarantine Agency.