Jakarta. Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka will take care of President Prabowo Subianto's duties for the next few days.

Prabowo flew from Jakarta to Cairo on Tuesday for the Developing-8 or D-8 Summit, which will take place on Thursday. After visiting Cairo, Prabowo will travel to Malaysia to meet the neighbor's prime minister Anwar Ibrahim.

With Prabowo being currently abroad, Gibran officially got appointed as the acting president, according to a presidential decree.

“The vice president will carry the president’s daily tasks in line with the existing regulations as long as the president makes an official visit to Egypt, and attends the D-8 Summit on Dec. 17-19,” the decree says.

“He may also be [the acting president] until the president returns to the country.”

The decree states that Gibran must seek Prabowo’s approval if he has to make a quick decision during the president's absence. 

Prabowo’s overseas trip took place at a time when Indonesia was gearing up for the upcoming holiday rush.

According to the Transport Ministry, nearly 110.7 million Indonesians will go on holiday to celebrate Christmas and the new year. About 19.8 percent of those vacationers plan on visiting other provinces. Before departing to Cairo, Prabowo told reporters that he would only be one call away despite not being in the country.

“I have instructed all my cabinet members, including my vice president, to make sure that we are well-prepared for the holiday season. I think everything will go well,” Prabowo said.

He added: “I will make sure that they can reach me out at any time [when I’m away] so anyone can directly consult with me before making an important decision.”

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The Jakarta Globe reporter Jayanty Nada Shofa also contributed to the story.

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