Puan Maharani (left) of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) holding aloft a gavel handed to her from interim House speaker Guntur Sasono of the Democratic Party (third left) during a plenary session at the Senayan legislative complex in Jakarta on Oct 1, 2024, when she was reelected as Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 2024-2029 term. -
JAKARTA: Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Puan Maharani, the first woman to lead the House of Representatives, reclaimed the legislative body’s top seat on (Oct 1), continuing her reign in a legislature dominated by parties aligned with president-elect Prabowo Subianto.
The PDI-P, the largest party by representation in the House, had nominated Puan as the only candidate for speaker. The party has yet to announce its stance vis-a-vis the incoming government.
Puan took the oath of office during a plenary session on Tuesday evening, along with the four new deputy speakers: Adies Kadir of the Golkar Party, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad of the Gerindra Party, Saan Mustopa of the NasDem Party and Cucun Ahmad Syamsurijal of the National Awakening Party (PKB).
The five House leaders represent the political parties that won the largest shares of the vote in February’s legislative election.
“We, the leadership of the House, will collectively and collegially lead by prioritizing joint work and cooperation and building communication across factions, commissions and bodies to achieve togetherness,” Puan said in her first speech after being reelected
Puan’s reelection ended months of speculation that pro-Prabowo parties, led by Gerindra and Golkar, were eyeing the speaker post to help advance the incoming government’s agenda in the legislature.
Rumors had circulated that parties in Prabowo’s Onward Indonesia Coalition (KIM) were seeking to amend a prevailing law that allows the party with the largest share of House seats to automatically assume the speakership.
Members of Golkar and Gerindra, which won the second- and third-most seats in the House, had repeatedly given their assurances that they had no interest in the speakership, asserting that the selection would follow the existing regulations.
That Puan retained the House’s top post without significant objection from Prabowo-aligned parties, however, raised speculation that the PDI-P might have agreed to join the former Army general’s big-tent coalition in exchange for the unchallenged House speakership.
Since winning the February election with the help of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s political influence, Prabowo has been racing to consolidate power for his presidency, including efforts to bring rival camps into his coalition.
Signs of warmer relations between Prabowo and the PDI-P surfaced last week when Prabowo mentioned Puan and her mother, party chair Megawati Soekarnoputri, in his opening speech at a Gerindra event in front of his allies and supporters, including Jokowi.
Puan’s reelection also came amid plans for a meeting between Megawati and Prabowo, who expressed his desire to meet with the country’s fifth president.
Megawati is the only major party leader that Prabowo has not spoken to in person since his election victory.
PDI-P lawmaker Arya Bima said it would not be long before the meeting took place. He added that it would determine the party’s position toward Prabowo’s administration.
“The meeting between the two leaders has a great psychological effect on the unity of the people, especially in the current election climate,” Arya said.
“Don't let the meeting only be framed in the perspective of power-sharing arrangements.”
Rumours have circulated about a rift between Jokowi and Prabowo following nationwide protests against an attempt by parties allied with them to change election rules to allow Kaesang Pangarep, the youngest son of the sitting president, to run for regional office in November, as well as to make it easier for certain regional candidates to run uncontested.
With the prospect of the PDI-P joining Prabowo’s coalition, analysts have raised concerns about an absence of opposition voices in the legislature, noting that it would hinder the House’s ability to act as a check on the executive branch and could open the door to collusion.
If the PDI-P joins Prabowo’s coalition, the KIM would have total control of the 580-seat House. Seven House parties have pledged their support for Prabowo’s incoming government.
Addressing concerns about the lack of opposing voices, Puan called on the House to “open its door as wide as possible for public aspirations” in accordance with the legislative body’s mechanisms. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
