Jakarta – The General Elections Commission (KPU) has named Romy Soekarno a member of the House of Representatives for the 2024-2029 term after two elected members from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) resigned.
This decision was formalized in KPU Decree No. 1401/2024, signed by KPU chairman Mochamad Afifuddin on Friday.
Romy will be inaugurated as a House member on Oct. 1, representing the PDI-P from the East Java VI electoral district.
Romy, the grandson of Indonesia's first president Sukarno, secured fourth place among the PDI-P candidates in the district in the legislative election, with 51,245 votes.
Romy is the son of Rahmawati Soekarnoputri, the younger sister of PDI-P chair Megawati Soekarnoputri.
The PDI-P won two seats in the electoral district, which covers the regencies of Blitar, Kediri and Tulungagung and the cities of Blitar and Kediri. Sukarno's remains lie in Blitar.
Pulung Agustianto won the most votes in the district with 165,869, followed by incumbent Sri Rahayu with 111,284. Arteria Dahlan was third with 62,242 votes, and Romy followed with his 51,245 votes.
However, Sri Rahayu resigned from the House seat followed by Arteria, who tendered his own resignation on Friday.
When asked about her resignation, Sri Rahayu declined to comment after attending an internal PDI-P consolidation meeting at the Ngrendeng village hall in Gondang district, Tulungagung.
"No need, no need," she said while heading to her car on Sunday, as quoted by detik.com.
Arteria, meanwhile, said he had resigned because he owed so much to Sukarno's extended family, who had given him the opportunity to be involved in politics as a House member.
"This 'non-fighting' attitude will surely surprise and disappoint some," he said in a message to katadata.co.id on Monday.
Arteria said his decision was influenced by deep gratitude to the Sukarno family, which he called a "royal family".
As a member of House Commission III overseeing legal, human rights and security affairs for the 2019-2024 period, Arteria credited his political career opportunities to Megawati and her late husband, Taufiq Kiemas, and acknowledged the support of House Speaker Puan Maharani, Megawati's daughter.
"This is all thanks to the kindness of the Bung Karno family, which I cannot repay except through loyalty," said Arteria.
Arteria said his move was aimed at maintaining the reputation of Megawati and Sukarno's extended family.
He acknowledged that Romy had approached him requesting assistance in fulfilling his mother Rahmawati's dream that Romy become a member of the House before she passed away.
"I was able to become a House member because of the grace of Sukarno's extended family, and it was an honor for me to serve you [Romy], as part of the royal family," Arteria said, relating his conversation with Romy.