Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka made a rare joint appearance with former president Megawati Soekarnoputri at the commemoration of Pancasila Day in Jakarta on Monday, signaling an ice-breaking in relations after years of political tension.

The three leaders attended the state ceremony at the Pancasila Building in Central Jakarta, where Prabowo served as the inspector of the ceremony. Megawati, chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and head of the steering committee at the Pancasila Ideology Development Agency (BPIP), was among the dignitaries seated in the front row, along with former vice presidents Try Sutrisno and Jusuf Kalla.

The event marked the first public encounter between Megawati and Gibran since the 2024 presidential election, in which Prabowo and Gibran triumphed over PDI-P’s candidate, Ganjar Pranowo. Political analyst Hendri Satrio said that the visual cues, including Prabowo walking beside Megawati while Gibran followed behind, carried symbolic meaning.

“It wasn’t just protocol. Prabowo’s gesture of placing Megawati at the forefront signals respect and a statesmanlike approach,” Hendri said. “It also sends a message of reconciliation and harmony.”

Prior to the ceremony, Prabowo and Gibran greeted national figures in the waiting room, including Megawati. A lighthearted exchange between Prabowo and Megawati was caught on camera, with the president complimenting her on her appearance: “Madam, you look slimmer, your diet worked!” Megawati chuckled in response.

House Speaker and MPR Chairman Ahmad Muzani, who witnessed the interaction, described the atmosphere as “warm, familial, and full of laughter,” adding that the private conversations between Prabowo and Megawati appeared candid and friendly.

Gibran also took a moment to greet Megawati and ask about her health. According to Muzani, the two sat facing each other and engaged in a relaxed conversation, breaking the ice after months of perceived estrangement.

The moment was particularly meaningful given the backstory: Megawati and Prabowo were once running mates in 2009, but tensions rose in 2023 when Prabowo tapped Gibran, a PDI-P member and son of then-President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, as his vice-presidential candidate. Many in PDI-P saw this as a betrayal, deepening the political divide.

However, Megawati recently addressed the rumored rift at a party anniversary event in January, stating, “There’s no hostility between us,” while acknowledging the shared struggles of party leaders during difficult times.

Monday’s Pancasila Day gathering appears to have offered a moment of symbolic healing. “This is a beautiful image for Indonesia,” Muzani said. “On a day when we honor the foundation of our nation, our leaders showed unity, exchanged greetings, and sat together in a spirit of togetherness.”