Photos of Prabowo-Gibran Widely Sold in Markets, Palaces: Show Public Enthusiasm

The Palace believes that the widespread sale of photos of the elected presidential and vice presidential candidates, Prabowo-Gibran, shows the enthusiasm of the public.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

Traders are selling photos of the president and vice president-elect for 2024-2029, Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka, in the Pasar Baru area of Central Jakarta on Tuesday (23/4/2024).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - Photos of the newly elected president and vice president, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, are being sold online and offline in traditional shops. The Palace views the sale of these photos as evidence of the high enthusiasm of the community in welcoming the elected president and vice president. However, displaying photos of the president and vice president in homes of citizens is actually not mandatory or optional.

Photo posters and framed photos featuring Prabowo-Gibran as President and Vice President for 2024-2029 are already widely sold in the digital market with various prices, starting from Rp 10,000. Sellers generally state that the photos being sold are not official photos issued by the Ministry of State Secretariat.

However, Prabowo and Gibran's appearance in the photo is generally uniform with a black jacket, white shirt, black cap, and red tie. In offline stores, Prabowo-Gibran photos can be found in the stalls of poster and painting vendors in the Pasar Baru area, Central Jakarta. Photos of the elected president and vice president for the 2024-2029 period are sold for hundreds of thousands of rupiah for a set.

Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Mulawarman University, Samarinda, Herdiansyah Hamzah, emphasized that in principle, there is no obligation to display photos of the president and vice president. "Because in reality, the president and vice president are not symbols or national symbols," said Herdiansyah when contacted, Sunday (28/4/2024).

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

A photo in a frame featuring the elected president and vice president, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is displayed at a kiosk in Jatinegara Market, East Jakarta, on Monday (8/4/2024).

In Law Number 24 of 2009 concerning the Flag, Language, State Institutions, and National Anthem, it states that the symbols of the state only include the flag, language, state emblem, and national anthem. The mandatory symbol to be displayed is the state emblem, namely Garuda Pancasila.

The provisions of Article 51 Letter a of Law No. 24/2009 also state that state symbols must be used in buildings, offices or educational unit classrooms. This is reinforced in the explanation of Article 53 Paragraph (1) Letter d of the aquo Law which states that what is meant by "other buildings or offices" are school buildings, private company offices, organizations and institutions.

In principle, there is no obligation to display the photos of the president and vice president. Because in reality, the president and vice president are not symbols or emblems of the state.

Herdiansyah asserted that the installation of the president's photo is optional, not mandatory. Therefore, Article 55 of the law states that even if the president's photo is installed, it must be placed lower than the national emblem. "That's it. There is no order or obligation in the law to display the president's and vice president's photos," he said.

The installation of photos of the president and vice president is based on a Circular Letter (SE) from the Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform and the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. However, both policies only apply internally within the institution.

Expert Expert Main Presidential Staff Office (KSP) Ali Mochtar Ngabalin assesses that the widespread sale of photos of the elected president and vice president shows extraordinary public enthusiasm. "The KPU has decided. Legal, just not appointed yet. There's just time to wait for Mr Jokowi's deadline to finish. "So in particular, there are no detailed regulations, so the enthusiasm of the community is extraordinary and just fine," he said.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

Traders are selling photos of the president and vice president-elect for 2024-2029, Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka, in the Pasar Baru area of Central Jakarta on Tuesday (23/4/2024).

The habit of displaying photos of the president and vice president in people's homes is considered a representation of pride and admiration for the candidates who were supported and elected in the previous presidential election. The community also expresses their enthusiasm by preparing these photos from the beginning while waiting for the inauguration day.

"Until now, in offices, there are still photos of Mr. Jokowi and Ma'ruf Amin. The enthusiasm of the public cannot be stopped. It's better to wait for the inauguration," said Ngabalin.

Also read: Legitimate, Prabowo-Gibran as Elected Presidential Candidates

Ahead of the government's transition, Ngabalin assesses the situation to be very conducive. This is partly because the President-elect is also a member of the cabinet led by President Jokowi. Therefore, Ngabalin believes there will be no difficulties in the government transition process.