Prabowo Extends Condolences on Passing of Ex-President Megawati’s Brother

President Prabowo Pays Tribute to Guruh Soekarnoputra

Tempatdonasi.com – President Prabowo Subianto has offered condolences following the death of Mohammad Guruh Irianto Soekarnoputra, the younger brother of former Indonesian president and PDI-P chair Megawati Soekarnoputri. Guruh Soekarnoputra died in Jakarta on Saturday morning, September 26, 2026, aged 73.

Prabowo conveyed his message through an Instagram Story posted on his official account, @prabowo. The tribute was accompanied by a pencil-style portrait of Guruh, a figure whose career spanned the arts, culture, and national politics.

“Innaa lillaahi wa inna ilaihi raaji’uun (To God we belong and to Him we shall return). My deepest condolences on the passing of Mohammad Guruh Irianto Soekarnoputra.”

Death After a Period of Declining Health

Guruh, the youngest child of Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno, and Fatmawati, passed away at 4:16 a.m. local time at MRCCC Siloam Hospitals Semanggi in Jakarta. His death followed a period of intensive treatment after his health worsened over the past year.

The news was shared in a written statement by PDI-P Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto. Guruh’s nephew, Didi Mahardika, had previously informed President Prabowo about his condition. Prabowo had requested that Guruh receive intensive medical attention, reflecting recognition of his standing as a cultural figure and of his place within Indonesia’s modern history.

His body was laid out at the family funeral home on Jalan Sriwijaya Raya No. 26 in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta. The location became the immediate focal point for mourning after the announcement of his passing.

A Prominent Name in Indonesian Cultural Life

Guruh Soekarnoputra was known to many Indonesians first through his artistic work. He built a reputation as an artist and choreographer, while also taking part in the country’s political life as a senior politician. His work connected performance, music, and organized cultural production, giving him a distinctive public identity beyond the Sukarno family name.

Among the arts organizations he founded were Swara Mahardhika and GSP Production. These groups formed part of his long-running engagement with creative work and helped establish his role in Indonesia’s artistic community.

He was also involved in the music group Guruh Gipsy, created with Chrisye, Keenan Nasution, and Abadi Soesman. The collaboration brought together several prominent musicians and artists, marking an important chapter in Guruh’s creative career.

His public profile therefore rested on more than one field. As a choreographer and artist, he was associated with artistic expression and cultural initiatives. As a politician, he participated directly in formal political institutions. The combination made him one of the more recognizable members of a family already deeply connected to Indonesia’s political history.

Political Career and PDI-P Connection

Guruh entered PDI-P in 1982 and later served as a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives. His party affiliation placed him within the same political organization led by his sister, Megawati Soekarnoputri.

PDI-P has been closely linked to the legacy of Sukarno, Indonesia’s first president, and Guruh’s political involvement added another dimension to his family’s continuing presence in national public life. Yet his own career followed a path that also gave considerable space to the arts, a field in which he developed an identity separate from electoral politics.

The response from President Prabowo illustrates Guruh’s broad public recognition. Prabowo’s message came not only as a gesture to Megawati and the Soekarnoputri family, but also as an acknowledgment of a figure identified with Indonesian culture and history.

Family Legacy and Public Mourning

As Sukarno and Fatmawati’s youngest son, Guruh belonged to one of Indonesia’s most prominent political families. His sister Megawati served as president and remains chair of PDI-P, while Guruh’s own work placed him before the public in a different capacity: as a creator, organizer, performer, and legislator.

His death closes a long life that moved between cultural activity and politics. The institutions and artistic collaborations associated with him remain central reference points in understanding his contribution. For many, his legacy will be tied to his efforts in the performing arts; for others, it will be remembered through his role in the House of Representatives and his longstanding association with PDI-P.

The condolences expressed by Prabowo add to the national attention surrounding the loss. In his brief message, the president chose words of sympathy and a prayer of return to God, underscoring the solemnity of the moment for Guruh’s relatives, colleagues, and the wider Indonesian public.