On Thursday, November 12, 2026, an official photograph of Gibran Rakabuming Raka was discovered turned upside down during a regional parliamentary hearing in West Java, prompting local leaders to demand formal explanations.
The incident occurred inside the Budget Committee room of the West Java Regional House of Representatives during an audience with a civil society alliance, detikJabar reported. Chairman Buky Wibawa said that the institution never instructed anyone to take down or invert the portrait. Buky admitted he was surprised when the upside-down frame drew public attention and accusations of poor etiquette.
The West Java legislature scheduled the hearing to receive six specific demands from the civil society group, according to detikJabar. Buky explained that the delegation submitted their formal request just before news broke regarding the vice president’s resignation. Even as circumstances shifted, leaders proceeded with the meeting as part of the council’s open-door policy.
Following the discussions, participants asked to take group photographs with the leadership. Buky said that while he stood alongside Deputy Chairman Iwan Suryawan, an unidentified attendee handled the portrait frame. “Saya tidak tahu bahwa posisi fotonya itu dibalikin,” said Buky Wibawa, Chairman of the West Java DPRD, telling detikJabar that he stood near the edge and remained unaware that someone had flipped the picture.
Buky Wibawa added that the West Java DPRD planned to send a letter to the civil society alliance coordinator to request clarification regarding the incident, stating that they would wait for a reply as soon as possible.
The parliamentary dispute follows Gibran Rakabuming Raka’s decision to step down from the nation’s second-highest office. Gibran arrived at the Nusantara III building of the People’s Consultative Assembly in Senayan, Jakarta, to deliver his resignation letter to MPR Chairman Ahmad Muzani, Kompas reported. Gibran submitted the document to the MPR on Thursday, November 12, 2026.
/data/photo/2026/07/02/6a4601607ab24.jpg "Photo: Kompas")
“Dalam pertemuan tersebut, Mas Gibran menyampaikan maksud dari kedatangannya menemui kami semua sebagai pimpinan Majelis Permusyawaratan Rakyat, yang maksudnya adalah menyampaikan surat pengunduran diri dari jabatannya sebagai Wakil Presiden Republik Indonesia,” ujar Ahmad Muzani, Chairman of the MPR RI, telling Kompas about the submission.
Meanwhile, the West Java Education Office has not asked schools to remove existing displays. Head of the West Java Education Office Purwanto said that his agency lacks the administrative basis to remove portraits from high schools, vocational centers, and special education schools without formal guidance from the central government or the MPR.
Mohammad Khoirur Roziqin said that he sells photographs of Gibran for Rp5,000 per sheet, framed portraits for Rp35,000, and complete packages for Rp105,000.
