Jakarta. Gibran Rakabuming, the running mate to Prabowo Subianto, promised Sunday that he would pursue the overdue indigenous people bill.

Indonesia has long been seeking an indigenous people bill that can better protect the rights of the community. The government’s plans for such a bill even date back to former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s era. The House of Representatives has put this bill on their so-called national legislation list Prolegnas. However, the bill has yet to see the light of day.

Speaking in the televised vice presidential debate, Gibran promised that he would not leave the indigenous community behind.

“We will push for a fairer indigenous people bill,” Gibran said in the presence of his rivals Muhaimin Iskandar and Mohammad Mahfud MD.

“This is in line with the principles of sustainable development goals [SDGs]. And that is to leave no one behind,” Gibran said.

Indonesia was among the countries that voted in favor of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples back in 2007. The House's official website shows that the indigenous people bill today is at the so-called “harmonization” phase. In other words, House members are currently assessing the document.

According to the Alliance of Indigenous People of the Archipelago (AMAN), Indonesia is home to 20 million indigenous people as of 2022.