Vice President Offers Resignation After Two-Hour Summit

Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka proposed to step down from his post during a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday. The offer came after a session that lasted more than two hours at the presidential palace. State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi confirmed the proposal to reporters. He stated that it was not immediately clear whether Prabowo had accepted the resignation.

The political uncertainty centers on Raka, the 39-year-old son of former President Joko Widodo. The dispute stems from a court ruling last month. The Supreme Court determined that the documents Raka submitted regarding his overseas education did not meet election requirements. This decision fueled calls from some lawmakers for his impeachment.

Hadi said Prabowo advised Raka to continue pursuing legal avenues to defend the validity of his academic documents. When Raka left his office later in the day, he addressed reporters briefly. He did not directly discuss the resignation offer. Instead, he said he respected all criticism and feedback from the public regarding the developments. He added that he did not want the current situation to become a prolonged political controversy.

The resignation offer is distinct from another major investigation currently underway. Police are probing allegations that top officials, including the president's chief of staff Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, were involved in a wiretap targeting the president. Three other police generals have also been implicated in that case. Listyo previously served as national police chief under Widodo.

The events have widened the political rift between Prabowo and Widodo. The popular former president backed Prabowo's presidential bid after he chose Raka as a running mate. Widodo faces unrelated allegations that he used a fake university diploma. He denies those claims. The dual controversies now place both the current and former heads of state at the center of a leadership crisis.