JK: “The Presidents Club” is Good and Common in the World

"The Presidents Club" is considered to be useful. However, what does it look like?

KOMPAS/NINA SUSILO

The 10th and 12th Vice President, Jusuf Kalla, teamed up with the 6th Vice President, Try Sutrisno, after attending a Halalbihalal event of the Indonesian Ulama Council in Jakarta on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The plan of President-elect 2024-2029, Prabowo Subianto, to form "The Presidents Club," is considered ordinary. Former presidents can provide advice.

The 10th and 12th Vice Presidents Jusuf Kalla considered The Presidents Club to be good and commonplace in the world. In the world, there is the Club de Madrid which is a forum for former presidents and prime ministers of democratic countries. JK, who attended Club de Madrid meetings several times, admitted that he was asked to become a member.

As for the United States, although it is not official, once a year former presidents gather to give suggestions.

"That's good. Yes, it's not just in Indonesia, it's happening all over the world," said JK to reporters after attending the Halalbihalal event of the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) in Jakarta on Tuesday (7/5/2024).

Also read: Prabowo is serious about forming "The Presidents Club", said he will soon meet Megawati

KOMPAS/NINA SUSILO

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin hopes that the future cabinet will be filled with professional figures. This was expressed after the Halalbihalal (post-Ramadan gathering) of the Indonesian Ulama Council in Jakarta on Tuesday (May 7, 2024).

The Presidents Club that Prabowo hopes for is not yet clear as to what it will be like. Previously, it was reported that Prabowo would form a forum for discussion between the current president and several former presidents.

Therefore, political communication between Prabowo and the fifth President of Indonesia, Megawati Soekarnoputri, the sixth President of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and the seventh President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, will be strengthened.

Also read: Prabowo's “The President's Club”, Could it Be Realized?

Deputy Chairman of the Gerindra Party, Habiburokhman, stated that this is considered important by Prabowo for the sustainability of development. However, the final form of this institution is still unclear.

For Prabowo, according to Habiburokhman, the most important thing is to provide a forum for former presidents to provide input exclusively to the current president. The forum could be something like the President's Advisory Council.

KOMPAS/ALIF ICHWAN

Presidential candidate and vice presidential candidate Megawati Soekarnoputri and Prabowo Subianto were present at the first hearing of the presidential election lawsuit at the Constitutional Court in Jakarta on Tuesday (4/8/2009).

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin also considers The Presidents Club idea to be good. However, greater and stronger efforts are needed to realize it.

In reality, the relationship between Megawati Soekarnoputri and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is not particularly smooth. Their relationship has cooled since SBY decided to run in the 2004 Presidential Election against Megawati as the incumbent and defeated her.

Megawati is predicted to have difficulties in discussing with Joko Widodo due to their differing views on the 2024 Presidential Election. Megawati, along with PDI-P, supports presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo, but Jokowi, who is still a member and consistently endorsed by PDI-P, appears to be more supportive of presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto.

Also read: Jokowi-Megawati relations are increasingly strained

ISTANA KEPRESIDENAN/AGUS SUPARTO

President Joko Widodo (third from the left), Mrs. Iriana (second from the left), Vice President Jusuf Kalla (fifth from the left), Mrs. Mufidah Jusuf Kalla (sixth from the left) took a photo with the Third President BJ Habibie (left), the Fifth President Megawati Soekarno Putri, and the Sixth President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Mrs. Ani Yudhoyono at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, after participating in the Commemoration Ceremony of the Proclamation of the Independence of the Republic of Indonesia in the Presidential Palace courtyard, Jakarta, Thursday (17/8/2017).

Therefore, according to Vice President Amin, The Presidents Club does not always have to be in a formal form. Consultations can also be conducted informally.

"If it can be formalized, that's good. But if not, it can be in the form of consultation between the president and former president personally, informally. Perhaps that," he said to reporters after the Halalbihalal event of the Indonesian Ulema Council, on Tuesday (7/5/2024).

So far, clubs for vice presidents have not emerged as a topic of discussion. "I don't think there's any idea about that yet, there's no thought yet. "What emerged was, right, presidential club," said Vice President Amin when asked whether or not a Vice President's club was needed.