JAKARTA, The Kabar News—Political pressure on Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka intensified after nearly 50 lawmakers reportedly signed a parliamentary proposal concerning his position, one day after protesters demanded his resignation outside the Vice Presidential Secretariat in Central Jakarta.

Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) executive Mardani Ali Sera said lawmakers from several House of Representatives (DPR) factions had signed a proposal to invoke the legislature’s right to express an opinion/Hak Menyatakan Pendapat (HMP).

“Nearly 50. The letter has been submitted to the leadership. Many factions are involved,” Mardani told reporters in a text message on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

However, Mardani did not publish a complete list of the signatories or identify all participating factions. An official House register has yet to independently confirm his reported count.

More than 10 PKS lawmakers had previously signed the proposal. Commission XIII member Yanuar Arif Wibowo said he became the 12th signatory from the party.

House Speaker Puan Maharani confirmed that the leadership had received a report concerning the proposal. She said the DPR would collect views from its factions, commissions and individual members before deciding how to proceed through the House Consultative Body.

“We have received the report. However, we will follow it up after the opening of this session by determining how, by whom, and through what mechanism it should proceed,” Puan said. She added that the House must follow constitutional procedures.

The parliamentary initiative followed a demonstration by the Aliansi Rakyat Menggugat outside the Vice Presidential Secretariat on Kebon Sirih Street on Monday. Around 40 to 50 protesters demanded that Gibran resign or face constitutional removal proceedings.

Acting Vice Presidential Secretary Al Muktabar said Gibran had instructed officials to open the compound’s gate and prepare a room for dialogue.

“The vice president respects what we call public aspirations and understands them as a fundamental part of our democracy. Therefore, he instructed us to open the gate so that our fellow citizens could come in and hold a dialogue,” Al Muktabar said.

The demonstrators declined the invitation. They wanted Gibran to meet them outside or allow the entire group and its command vehicle to enter together.

“We want all protesters and the command vehicle to enter if Gibran wants to meet us,” an orator said.

Al Muktabar said officials did not know precisely why the protesters rejected the prepared meeting.

“I went directly to the front so that we could communicate and hold a dialogue, but they were not yet willing,” he said.

Central Jakarta Police deployed 73 officers to secure the demonstration. Police said they used a persuasive approach while maintaining traffic and public access around Kebon Sirih.

The reported number of signatures exceeds the initial requirement of 25 lawmakers for submitting an HMP proposal. Nevertheless, signatures alone do not turn the proposal into an official DPR position.

The House rules of procedure require the proposal to include its grounds and valid evidence. A plenary meeting attended by at least two-thirds of all DPR members must approve it, with support from at least two-thirds of those present.

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If the DPR adopts an opinion seeking Gibran’s removal, the Constitutional Court must examine the allegations. The House may forward the case to the People’s Consultative Assembly only if the court upholds its opinion.

Separately, the Palace said Gibran expressed an intention to resign during a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday. No written resignation, effective date or constitutional vacancy had been announced at the time of publication.

The DPR signatures and street demonstrations have increased pressure on Gibran. Neither development, however, automatically ends his vice-presidential term.