Projo Responds to Panel Barus’ Resignation
Panel Barus, deputy chairman of the Pro Jokowi (Projo) volunteer organisation, announced on Wednesday (11 November) that he was resigning from both his position and membership of the organisation.
In response, Projo’s central executive board said it respected Panel’s decision.
“We respect Mr Panel Barus’ decision to resign from the Projo central executive board. Everyone has the right to determine their own stance, choices and political path,” Projo Secretary-General Freddy Alex Damanik said in a statement on Thursday (12 November).
“However, there is one thing we need to make clear: Projo is a movement organisation, not one that lives or dies because of one or two people,” he added.
Freddy said Projo had been built through a long journey involving the hard work, sacrifice and dedication of volunteers across Indonesia. Some cadres, he said, had been involved since 2013; others had built the organisation in their regions or worked away from the spotlight, without ever holding office.
“We appreciate all of Mr Panel Barus’ service and contribution during his time as part of Projo. To our friend Panel Barus, stay motivated as you continue your service as a deputy at the Ministry of Cooperatives under President Prabowo’s administration. Carrying out duties and serving the state is also good and noble work,” Freddy said.
“Projo will continue and remain on the side of the people,” he added.
Panel had earlier said that his decision to leave Projo also meant he was stepping away from practical politics. He said he would focus on his current role as Deputy for Cooperative Business Development at the Ministry of Cooperatives.
“I want to make it clear here that my focus is on overseeing the people-centred agendas championed by President Prabowo,” Panel said in South Jakarta.
“I am stepping back from practical politics for now so I can focus on carrying out those agendas, which also present major challenges,” he added.
Panel said the demands of his job meant he could no longer be involved with Projo, but said he believed the organisation would continue under its new management and leadership.
“I hope our ties will remain strong, because what the Prabowo administration is fighting for is in line with what we all aspire to,” he said.
Panel said he was currently involved in a number of government and ministry programmes and strategic activities. These include consolidating rice-farmer cooperatives and holding a general meeting of poultry-farmer cooperatives.
He is also involved in cooperative networks linked to the KDKMP, KNMP and MBG programmes.
“With all due respect, I apologise if I can no longer contribute to Indonesia’s political scene as I did before becoming a deputy,” he said.
Before being appointed Deputy for Cooperative Business Development, Panel served as treasurer-general of Projo’s central executive board and chaired its presidential election campaign body during the 2024 presidential election. Most recently, he was appointed deputy chairman following the 2025 congress.
Panel’s departure from Projo to focus on his Ministry of Cooperatives duties adds to a list of people who were previously aligned with Indonesia’s seventh president, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), and have left their political organisations, saying they want to concentrate on their roles in President Prabowo Subianto’s administration.
Previously, three senior Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) figures serving in the cabinet announced that they were leaving the party, led by Jokowi’s youngest son, Kaesang Pangarep.
They were Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni, formerly PSI’s secretary-general; Deputy Minister of Population and Family Development Isyana Bagoes Oka, formerly PSI’s deputy chairwoman; and Deputy Culture Minister Giring Ganesha, formerly a member of PSI’s advisory board and once the party’s chairman.
Like Panel, the three said they had chosen to focus on their state duties in Prabowo’s cabinet.