TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Public attention has focused on People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Ahmad Muzani after he said he had been instructed by President Prabowo Subianto to attend the funeral of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Mashhad on Thursday, July 9, 2026.
In an Instagram post published on Tuesday, July 7, Muzani, who also serves as secretary of the Gerindra Party's Board of Trustees, said he would travel alongside Sugiono, the party's secretary-general.
By Wednesday morning, July 8, the post had attracted more than 4,600 comments, with many social media users questioning whether the president has the authority to assign the head of a legislative institution to an official mission.
"Was the MPR Speaker assigned by the president?" one user wrote.
The questions were later addressed by MPR Deputy Speaker Bambang Wuryanto, widely known as Bambang Pacul, who said there is no constitutional mechanism allowing the president to issue orders to the MPR Speaker.
The following are key developments in the controversy surrounding Muzani's planned visit to Iran.
Says He Is Serving as the President's Special Envoy
After his social media post drew widespread attention, Muzani clarified that he would attend Khamenei's funeral as President Prabowo's special envoy, not in his capacity as MPR Speaker or as a Gerindra Party official.
"I am leaving as the president's special envoy," Muzani told reporters at the House of Representatives (DPR) complex in Jakarta on Tuesday, July 7.
He said Sugiono had informed him that they would travel as representatives of the Indonesian government. However, Sugiono has yet to publicly clarify the basis of their appointment or their official status.
Says Delegation Represents Indonesia's Condolences
Muzani said the travel arrangements were still being coordinated by Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
He argued that his and Sugiono's attendance would represent Indonesia's condolences over the death of Iran's supreme leader.
"Our presence is the official representation of the government and all Indonesian people who mourn the passing of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei," Muzani said.
He suggested that questions over why he was selected as part of the delegation should be directed to the Presidential Palace. At the same time, he acknowledged that public reactions remain an important consideration for the president in making decisions.
Lawmaker Says President Cannot Instruct MPR Speaker
Bambang Pacul rejected the notion that the president can instruct the MPR Speaker, saying Indonesia's constitutional framework provides no mechanism for such an arrangement.
"If the president sends the MPR Speaker, I don't think the mechanism works that way," the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician said at the DPR/MPR complex in Jakarta on Tuesday, July 7.
According to Bambang, the president and the MPR are separate high state institutions with equal constitutional standing, meaning neither has the authority to issue orders to the other.
He said the president may seek the MPR's views through formal consultations but cannot directly instruct the speaker to carry out an official assignment.
Dian Rahma Fika contributed to this article.
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