PDI-P’s Megawati orders party leaders to withdraw from Prabowo’s retreat after her close aide’s corruption arrest

JAKARTA: All leaders of Indonesia’s largest party – Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) – have been ordered to withdraw from President Prabowo Subianto’s retreat by PDI-P chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri. 

Megawati gave the directive hours after the arrest of her close aide Hasto Kristiyanto on graft charges. 

“All regional leaders and deputies are instructed to postpone their trips to the retreat in Magelang (in Central Java), scheduled Feb 21-28, 2025.

“Those already en route must halt their journey and await further instructions,” said the circular signed by Megawati distributed on Thursday (Feb 20), as quoted by local news agency Jakarta Globe. 

In her directive, Megawati also instructed PDI-P’s elected officials to remain on standby and keep their communication devices active. 

All elected local leaders, sworn in on Thursday, were scheduled to attend a brainstorming retreat at a military academy in Magelang, alongside Prabowo and other key figures. 

The same retreat was organised for his Cabinet ministers after they were inaugurated in late October last year. 

Among those scheduled to attend the retreat was PDI-P’s Pramono Anung – Jakarta’s newly elected governor. As of Friday morning, Pramono has not left his home, according to local news outlet Tempo. 

Earlier on Thursday, KPK formally arrested PDI-P secretary-general Hasto, charging him with bribing an election official and obstructing justice. 

Prior to Hasto’s arrest, former president Megawati had reminded both Pramono and his deputy Rano Karno to follow and comply with directives instructed by Prabowo. 

“Earlier, Madam Megawati underscored that a governor also serves as a representative of the central government. For this reason, she urged us to not ignore the president’s instructions,” Rano told the media at Pramono’s residence in South Jakarta on Thursday. 

Hasto was arrested on Thursday evening, following an interrogation session with the authorities at the anti-graft agency’s headquarters in Jakarta, reported The Jakarta Post.

“The exact reason behind the arrest is entirely a matter for the investigators but they must have had concerns that the suspect would escape or destroy evidence,” said KPK chair Setyo Budiyanto, claiming that Hasto’s arrest would help the graft busters in the investigation into the case.