Malaysia expects strong ties with Indonesia despite vice president's resignation

Malaysia expects its close relations with Indonesia to remain unaffected by the resignation of Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, which has triggered a political shake-up in its Asean neighbour.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation would continue despite the political developments in Jakarta, where Gibran - the oldest son of former president Joko Widodo - stepped down yesterday amid mounting controversy over his eligibility to hold office.

"I just returned from Jakarta a few weeks ago. Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also made an official visit to Indonesia, during which he met with the Indonesian president, among others.

"We believe the good relations between our two countries will remain strong and enduring, regardless of the political developments," Fahmi told reporters today.

He was responding to a question on whether Gibran's (above) resignation could affect Malaysia's cooperation with Indonesia, one of its closest regional partners.

Gibran had maintained direct engagement with Malaysia during his tenure, including hosting Zahid at the Vice-Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Sept 17.

Their discussions covered bilateral cooperation in the halal industry, rural development and the protection of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia.

The two countries also discussed plans to establish an Indonesia-Malaysia Halal Council to strengthen cooperation and facilitate mutual recognition of halal certification.

Resignation amid eligibility dispute

Gibran, 39, formally submitted his resignation to President Prabowo Subianto and Indonesia's People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) yesterday, becoming the country's first directly elected vice-president to step down before completing his term.

His resignation followed mounting pressure over court rulings questioning whether his educational qualifications met the legal requirements to contest the 2024 presidential election.

The controversy centres on Gibran's overseas education records and whether they satisfy Indonesia's minimum requirement for presidential and vice-presidential candidates to have completed secondary education.

Indonesia's Constitutional Court ruled on Oct 6 that there was insufficient convincing evidence that Gibran's overseas education met the requirement, while a subsequent Supreme Court ruling on Oct 30 further undermined the validity of documents used to support his candidacy.

More than 100 Indonesian lawmakers subsequently signed a petition seeking his impeachment.

Gibran, however, denied that his resignation amounted to an admission that his qualifications were inadequate.

In his resignation letter, he said he was stepping down voluntarily in the interests of the country and to ensure the government runs smoothly.

Prabowo accepted the resignation and expressed appreciation for Gibran's service.

Why Gibran's departure matters

Gibran's selection as Prabowo's running mate in the 2024 presidential election was widely seen as cementing a political alliance between Prabowo and Jokowi, whose popularity helped secure their electoral victory. Jokowi was the republic's president from 2014 to 2024.

However, Gibran's candidacy was controversial from the outset. At the time, he was below Indonesia's minimum age requirement of 40 for presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

A 2023 Constitutional Court ruling created an exception for candidates who had previously held elected regional office, allowing Gibran, then the mayor of Solo, to contest.

The decision sparked allegations of political favouritism because the court's then-chief justice, Anwar Usman, was Gibran's uncle. Anwar was subsequently removed from the chief justice position over ethics violations.

Gibran's departure has now raised fresh questions about the future of the political alliance between Prabowo and Jokowi, although the former president has publicly reaffirmed his support for Prabowo's administration.

What happens next?

Unlike Malaysia, where the prime minister appoints a deputy prime minister, Indonesia's vice-president is elected alongside the president for a five-year term.

Under Indonesia's Constitution, Prabowo must nominate two candidates to replace Gibran, and the MPR must elect a successor within 60 days.

MPR speaker Ahmad Muzani said the assembly would meet today to discuss the next steps, including requesting nominations from Prabowo and establishing a mechanism to vet the candidates.

The resignation does not trigger a fresh presidential election, and Prabowo remains in office.

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