Aceh – Indonesia, Jakarta (Waspada Aceh) – Rocky Gerung revealed his reasons for accepting the offer to become a member of the Presidential Advisory Board (Wantimpres) under President Prabowo Subianto’s administration.
As reported by beritasatu.com, Rocky stated that joining Wantimpres does not mean changing the critical stance he has maintained toward the government so far.
According to Rocky, a position on the Presidential Advisory Board actually provides space for him to continue offering critical viewpoints when advising the President.
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Rocky explained that this ethical position relates to Wantimpres’s capacity to observe the impacts or excesses of government policies and provide counsel regarding the direction of those policies.
“So we oversee the direction of policies to ensure they align with the President’s campaign promises and the themes desired by the President,” he said.
In addition to that role, Rocky mentioned that Wantimpres has functions related to the political and cultural climate.
According to him, every Wantimpres member holds an ethical responsibility to convey perspectives to the President.
Rocky also described Wantimpres as a form of oversight committee. Because it deals with public matters, he noted that board members require expertise and sharp analytical insight when viewing issues.
“The most important thing is to point out without hesitation what is wrong in the public perception of power and how power manages that perception to become positive for the country,” Rocky said.
Inaugurated by Prabowo
Rocky Gerung was officially inaugurated as a member of Wantimpres by President Prabowo Subianto at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Friday.
The inauguration was part of the appointment of Wantimpres board members based on Presidential Decree Number 107/P on the Appointment of Members of the Presidential Advisory Board of the Republic of Indonesia.
In the new Wantimpres structure, Pratikno was appointed as Chairman concurrently serving as a member. Meanwhile, Hatta Rajasa serves as Vice Chairman concurrently serving as a member, and Muhammad Qodari acts as secretary concurrently serving as a member.
In total, 26 Wantimpres members were inaugurated during the event.
The ceremony began with the singing of the national anthem, Indonesia Raya. Following the reading of the Presidential Decree, President Prabowo led the recitation of the oath of office for the Wantimpres members.
Rocky Gerung and his academic journey
Rocky Gerung is known as an academician, philosopher, political analyst, and public intellectual.
He previously taught at the Philosophy Department of the University of Indonesia (UI) as an adjunct lecturer. Several courses he taught included seminars on theories of justice, political philosophy, and philosophy research methods.
Beyond academic activities, Rocky is active in various thought forums and organizations. He is recorded as one of the co-founders of the Setara Institute.
His years of dedication to academia and public discussions have made Rocky widely recognized as a political commentator who frequently offers critiques of government policies. (*)