Gibran Speaks Out After Stepping Down as Vice President: Positions Are Mere Trusts

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Indonesia's 14th Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has finally spoken out regarding his decision to step down as vice president.

He emphasized that for him, a position is only temporary and he never planned or thought he could hold the vice presidential role.

"From the first day I took the oath of office, I approached this responsibility with full conviction. A position is merely a temporary trust. The integrity and future of the nation is everything," Gibran stated on Thursday, as quoted from the YouTube channel of the Vice Presidential Secretariat.

"Honestly, sitting in this chair is not something I have ever imagined, thought about, or pursued before," he continued.

The former mayor of Solo then recalled how he became a candidate for vice president alongside Prabowo Subianto in the 2024 presidential election.

In September 2023, Gibran revealed that he was asked to accompany Prabowo Subianto, who is running for president.

However, Gibran acknowledged that he faced a significant inner struggle as he had to leave his position as mayor of Solo and the political party that had nurtured him, PDI Perjuangan.

"At that time, I went through a profound internal struggle because I had to delegate the development work I had initiated as mayor in my birthplace," Gibran remarked.

"I had to hand over responsibilities related to the challenges faced by the community. The hardest part was disappointing the party that has guided and supported me, and facing the consequences of breaking away from it," he added.

Nevertheless, Gibran noted that the call and trust came with good intentions and a significant message about the continuity of national development, the importance of embracing the younger generation, and uniting various elements for the nation's future.

"Ultimately, I accepted that call with the conviction that young people must dare to take risks for broader service," he expressed.