Indonesia’s vice president offers resignation as questions mount over his eligibility

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s vice president offered to resign during a meeting with President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday, according to officials, adding to the turmoil at the highest levels of the country’s leadership.

Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the 39-year-old son of former President Joko Widodo, held over two hours of talks with Prabowo, according to State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi.

It was not immediately clear whether Prabowo accepted the resignation, Hadi told reporters at a news conference at the presidential palace. The president advised Raka to “continue pursuing legal avenues to defend the validity of his academic documents,” Hadi said.

As he left his office later in the day, Raka made a brief statement to reporters without addressing the resignation offer.

“I respect all criticism and feedback from the public regarding the developments that are taking place,” Raka said. “I do not want the current situation to become a prolonged political controversy.”

The resignation offer comes amid growing pressure on Raka over a court dispute involving his academic credentials. It was apparently not related to an ongoing probe into allegations that top police officials, including the president’s chief of staff Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, had been involved in a wiretap targeting the president. Three other police generals have also been implicated in the case.

Listyo previously served as national police chief under Widodo, who has not been implicated in the wiretapping investigation.

The developments come amid a widening political rift between Prabowo and Widodo. The popular former president backed Prabowo’s presidential bid after he chose Raka as a running mate.

The controversy over Raka’s academic qualifications escalated last month after the Supreme Court ruled that the documents he submitted regarding his overseas education did not meet election requirements.

The ruling intensified political pressure on Raka and fueled calls from some lawmakers for his impeachment.

Widodo faces unrelated allegations that he used a fake university diploma, which he denies.