Indonesia’s Defense Minister Prabowo Appoints Niece as His Deputy in Gerindra Party

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party has appointed Rahayu Saraswati Djojohadikusumo or Sara as deputy chairwoman for the 2020-2025 term.

Sara, the niece of Gerindra Party Chairman Prabowo Subianto who is also Indonesia’s defense minister, said her new post places greater responsibility on her.

“With the position and power that God has given you, you have to be a blessing, a blessing for others… With great power comes great responsibility,” Sara said in a written statement on Tuesday, September 16.

She also conveyed a similar message in a video posted on her Instagram account @rahayusaraswati.

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Sara said her appointment as a deputy chairperson represents the party's trust in its young cadres. She also asked for the party to support her in carrying out her duties.

“Thank you for the trust given to the young generation, to myself and my colleagues as I will serve as deputy chairperson of the Gerindra Party’s Central Executive Board for the 2020-2025 term,” she said.

Sara, who is the daughter of Prabowo’s brother Hashim Djojohadikusumo, is currently running for deputy mayor of South Tangerang, a city on the outskirts of Jakarta.

The 34-year-old former lawmaker is a running mate to Muhammad, former South Tangerang Administration secretary who is now a politician of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

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Recently, a spokesman for the Gerindra Party Sufmi Dasco Ahmad disclosed Sara’s appointment on Monday, September 14. Dasco also said that Sara is currently attending the party’s orientation sessions for the next few days.

Besides Sara, Prabowo has also re-appointed Ahmad Muzani as the party’s general secretary after a congress last August. Dasco said the new Gerindra Party organizational structure will be announced after the party receives the Ministry of Law and Human Rights decree.

“Therefore, it is not true if anyone claims that they are administrators of the Gerindra Party’s Central Executive Board because they have been removed from their previous positions except for the spokesperson who can still act on behalf of the Gerindra Party,” he said.

(Writer: Tsarina Maharani | Editors: Diamanty Meiliana, Dani Prabowo)

Sources: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/09/15/20152811/ditunjuk-jadi-waketum-gerindra-sara-djojohadikusumo-terima-kasih-untuk.

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/09/15/06391441/rahayu-saraswati-ponakan-prabowo-yang-kini-jadi-wakil-ketua-umum-gerindra.