Edhie 'Ibas' Yudhoyono Resigns From House to Focus on Democratic Party
SP/Carlos Paath, Ezra Sihite | February 14, 2013
Democratic Party lawmaker Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono submitted his resignation letter from the House of Representatives in a press conference on Feb. 14, 2013. Ibas, as he is known, said he planned to devote his time to working for the ailing party. (JG Photo/Ahmad Fadil). Democratic Party lawmaker Edhie "Ibas" Baskoro Yudhoyono resigned from the House of Representatives on Thursday to focus his attention on his father's ailing party.
Edhie, the second son of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, announced his resignation in a press conference at the House of Representatives building Thursday afternoon. The popular lawmaker said he planned to devote his time to working for the Democratic Party.
"I will concentrate on carrying out my duties as the secretary general. That will consume [all of my] time." Edhie said.
"If I'm still lawmaker, I'm sure I won't do my work well. I don't want to burden the faction. [The party] is facing a hard challenge to support the government's programs for the sake of the people."
Edhie's announcement came one week after Yudhoyono tightened his grip on the graft-tainted party. The president seized control of the Democratic Party on February 8 after praying on the matter during a minor hajj to Mecca.
The once-popular party has suffered in recent years after several prominent party members were implicated in a series of high-profile graft cases.
Current party chairman Anas Urbaningrum is currently the focus of the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) expanding investigation into rigging the bid for the construction of the Hambalang Sports Center in West Java. Anas allegedly received a Toyota Harrier SUV as a bribe for his part in the scheme.
Anas was named a suspect in a leaked KPK document last week. The KPK, which has not issued a formal announcement, has struggled with charging Anas under Indonesia's corruption laws. The value of the Toyota SUV is too low to be considered a criminal act, deputy chairman Adnan Pandu Praja said.
Yudhoyono relieved Anas of his duties as chairman last week, explaining that he was free to concentrate on his legal troubles. He promised to helm a "cleaning and restructuring" of the party.
The president then issued a mandatory 10-point integrity pact to all party members that included a promise to end corruption within the Democrats' ranks.
Edhie said that by working full-time for the party his father will be free to focus on running the country.
"As the party's secretary general, I have to work hard to save the party. I have to help the head of the High Council [Yudhoyono] and the party's chairman," Edhie said.
"I am aware that it is impossible for the head of the High Council to take care of the party all the time. [I made the decision to step down] so he can resume his role as the head of state."
Political pundits predict a tough race for the Democratic Party in the 2014 presidential election. A recent survey conducted by Saiful Mujani Research & Consulting found that Democrats' electability had plummeted to 8 percent.
The party previously won 20.8 percent of votes in the 2009 legislative elections.
Yudhoyono congratulated his son on making a responsible decision.
"I might be subjective, but as his father I'm proud that Ibas of being responsible and once again apologized for being absent at the House of Representatives' plenary meeting," Yudhoyono said.
The president said it wasn't easy for his son to get elected to the House. Edhie spent weeks meeting voters before the 2009 election and continued to meet with them after his election.
"He was indeed sweating, regardless of bearing his father's name," Yudhoyono said.
In 2009, Edhie breezed into office on the back of overwhelming public support of his constituency in the East Java VII electoral district. He earned 327,097 votes in the race, the most of any candidate nationwide.
Edhie served on the House's commission on foreign affairs, defense and security as well as the budget committee.
He was appointed as the party's secretary general by Anas following the Democrats' 2010 congress in Bandung, West Java.
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