Chairman of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) Giring Ganesha (far left) attempts to stop a party member from giving a party jacket to Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka on Aug 22, 2023. - The Jakarta Post
JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network): Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is also the eldest son of President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo, has said he will resist efforts from Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) to recruit him and that he remains loyal to the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).
Gibran made the statement following an incident on Tuesday (Aug 22) in which a member of the PSI attempted to place the party jacket on him, a party ritual for inducting new members.
"I am still a card-carrying member of the PDI-P," Gibran was quoted by Kompas in Surakarta, Central Java, on Wednesday.
He also maintained that he would reject any efforts to entice him to join the fledgling political party.
"It's not that easy. Come on," Gibran said.
In a video from the event, a member of the PSI dashes toward Gibran and tries to have him don the party’s red jacket. Gibran, who was on stage greeting audience members following a discussion with Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) figure Yenny Wahid and former student activist Budiman Sujatmiko, declined the jacket and moved away from the PSI member.
PSI chairman Giring Ganesha then interposed himself between Gibran and the unidentified party member and took the jacket away from the PSI member.
Later on Wednesday, Giring issued an apology on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, saying that the encounter was an expression of the party member's love for Gibran.
"It was all a spontaneous act, and this shows the tremendous amount of love from this PSI member for the mayor," Giring said.
