Prabowo's Reasons for Sending Jokowi to Pope Francis's Funeral

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April 25, 2025 | 07:55 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Ahmad Muzani, Secretary General of the Gerindra Party, has clarified the reasons behind President Prabowo Subianto's decision to send former President Joko Widodo or Jokowi to Pope Francis's funeral at the Vatican.

He explained that Pope Francis was Jokowi's guest during a state visit in early September 2024, as part of an apostolic journey. Muzani emphasized that at the time of the visit, Jokowi was still the sitting president and personally received the Pope.

"So, Pak Prabowo considered it to be a matter of head-of-state protocol from that period. That's why Pak Jokowi was requested to attend and represent the government, people, and nation of Indonesia in the Vatican," Muzani stated at the Parliament Complex on Friday, April 25, 2025.

The MPR Speaker noted that Jokowi was not sent to the Vatican alone, but accompanied by representatives from other countries. In addition to Jokowi, Prabowo also dispatched Minister of Human Rights, Natalius Pigai; Vice Minister of Finance, Thomas Djiwandono; and former Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ignasius Jonan.

Regarding the absence of Minister of Religious Affairs, Nasaruddin Umar, from the delegation, Muzani reiterated that Pope Francis was Jokowi's honored guest during his Indonesian visit. Notably, the Pope did meet with Nasaruddin Umar during that time.

During the visit, Nasaruddin, in his capacity as the Imam of the Istiqlal Grand Mosque, welcomed Pope Francis. They signed the document "Joint Declaration of Istiqlal 2024: Strengthening Religious Harmony for Humanity."

However, Virdika Rizky Utama, Executive Director of PARA Syndicate, previously argued that President Prabowo had committed a political misstep by sending Jokowi to the funeral of the Catholic Church's highest leader. He pointed out that Jokowi was previously nominated as the most corrupt figure of 2024 by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).

According to Virdika, Jokowi's track record is etched in international political memory. Despite being only nominated, Jokowi's reputation is associated with corruption.

"Sending Jokowi is akin to sending a blundering message. Indonesia is sending a figure suspected by the global public to a place that is strictly guarded morally. This is not about law, this is about a political message," he said when contacted on Thursday, April 24, 2025.

Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 on Monday, April 21, 2025, at Casa Santa Marta. Prior to his death, he had been treated at the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital since Friday, February 14, 2025, for bronchitis that developed into double pneumonia.

Hendrik Yaputra contributed to the writing of this article."

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