KBRN, Jakarta: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has reiterated his strong stance on upholding the law without exception, even when it involves members of his own political party. His remarks follow the arrest of Immanuel Ebenezer, a member of the Gerindra Party and former Manpower Deputy Minister by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on August 20, 2025.

Ebenezer, widely known as "Noel", was detained over allegations of extortion related to the issuance of Occupational Safety and Health (K3) certificates at the Manpower Ministry.

The arrest came just five days after President Prabowo declared during his August 15 address at the Annual Session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) that he would not protect any Gerindra member involved in legal violations.

“I sometimes fear my own words from the MPR speech on August 15. I said that if any Gerindra member breaks the law, I won’t protect them and a few days later, a Gerindra member was arrested. Though he was just a member, not yet a fully trained party cadre,” said President Prabowo during his speech at the opening of Apkasi Otonomi Expo 2025 in BSD, Tangerang, on Thursday, August 28.

President Prabowo, who also serves as Chairman of the Gerindra Party, expressed disappointment and embarrassment over the incident, stressing that political education and proper party training are crucial for all members.

“If someone is a proper cadre, they would have gone through our training. They would have learned. Unfortunately, he hadn’t gone through that process. Still, I’m embarrassed,” he stated, as quoted by antaranews.com.

He also criticized the moral recklessness of those involved in corruption, highlighting the emotional and social toll such actions take on their families. “When someone is handcuffed and put in an orange detention vest, do they not think of their wife and children?” he added.

President Prabowo emphasized that law enforcement must be non-negotiable, and all public officials from ministers to local leaders must uphold the people's trust by leading with integrity and accountability.

“We’ve long been Indonesians, regardless of which party we’re from. We must dare to self-reflect. Law enforcement is a duty that cannot be compromised,” he continued.

He urged regional heads to lead with integrity, reminding them that a corrupt government cannot lead a nation to prosperity. ***