Thursday, 05 November 2026
MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - Lokot Nasution, chairman of the North Sumatra Regional Executive Board of the Democratic Party (DPD), has stressed that party chairman Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY) has no intention of seeking the office of Indonesian Vice-President or replacing Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
Lokot made the statement when journalists in Medan asked him about the controversy surrounding the certificate recognising Gibran Rakabuming Raka's educational qualifications as equivalent to a secondary school diploma. The debate emerged after the Supreme Court (MA) declared the certificate invalid in a ruling.Amid discussions about the vice-presidential position, Lokot said he had personally spoken to AHY to understand the party chairman's political stance. During their conversation, he also raised the possibility of a vacancy in the vice-presidential office following the Supreme Court's ruling.
"I spoke directly with Mas AHY and asked him: 'Tum, what happens if things turn out this way? What if the vice-presidential position becomes vacant and all that?'" Lokot said in Medan on Tuesday evening, 3 November 2026.According to Lokot, AHY gave an unequivocal response, saying he neither wanted to discuss the possibility nor take advantage of an opportunity to assume the vice-presidency. Instead, AHY intended to remain committed to supporting the government of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto until the end of its term in 2029.
Lokot recounted AHY's response, in which the party chairman emphasised that he had no interest in discussing the possibility of moving into the vice-presidential office amid the current controversy.
"No, Bang, our commitment is to support Mr Prabowo until the end. When Mr Prabowo invited us, we did not discuss anything like that, Bang. We will fulfil our commitment and support Mr Prabowo until 2029," Lokot Nasution quoted AHY as saying.In Lokot's view, the statement also underlined the political position of AHY and the Democratic Party, which remained committed to ensuring continuity in their support for the Prabowo administration. The party did not intend to use the controversy surrounding the validity of Gibran's educational equivalency certificate as an opportunity to seek the vice-presidential office.
AHY currently serves as Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development. The position forms part of his responsibilities within the Prabowo administration.Lokot stressed that AHY had no intention of replacing Gibran. The commitment to support Prabowo until 2029 was a position AHY had explicitly conveyed to him in person.
According to Lokot, AHY had expressed his willingness to continue supporting Prabowo, provided the President required the Democratic Party's assistance in the upcoming political contest.
"If Mr Prabowo wants to run again and still needs our support, we will help him. We are still young, Bang. Those were Mas AHY's words," Lokot Nasution said.The statement indicated that the Democratic Party intended to maintain its political relationship with Prabowo, including if the President sought a second term in office. Lokot said AHY and his party were prepared to offer their support for as long as Prabowo needed it.
The position also demonstrated that the Democratic Party intended to make its political commitments the basis for future decisions. The party, led by AHY, did not want to base its political moves on speculation about possible changes within the government.Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding the certificate recognising Gibran's educational qualifications continues to fuel questions about a possible vacancy in the vice-presidential office. However, according to Lokot, AHY had already made it clear that he did not intend to use the situation to replace Gibran.
Lokot reiterated that AHY preferred to fulfil his commitment to supporting the Prabowo administration until 2029. Should Prabowo stand again in the 2029 presidential election and require support, AHY and the Democratic Party would be ready to assist him.Lokot's remarks therefore dismissed speculation linking AHY to ambitions to take over the vice-presidential office. He stressed that the Democratic Party chairman remained committed to supporting Prabowo, both in leading the current administration and in the event of a possible bid for re-election in 2029. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala
