TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Loyalists of the Yogyakarta Palace are set to initiate the "Tapa Pepe", a form of traditional protest, to question the recent controversy surrounding the Sabda Raja (King’s Decree) issued by Governor Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X. The protesters plan to conduct a sit out at the Northern Square of the Yogyakarta Palace.

The Tapa Pepe is scheduled to take place either this week or next week, involving 60 groups of people. "We would like to question the meaning of the Sabda Raja. We are concerned," said Commander of the Palace Security Section (Paksi Katon), Mohammad Suhud.

Suhud said that the Paksi Katon disagreed with the Decree, citing that it alters years of tradition. "We just want to respect the Sultan of Mataram Islamic tradition. If the tradition is changed, it means that we have a new sultan and sultanate," Suhud said.

Recently, the Sultan of Yogyakarta has issued a decree erasing the term "khalifatullah", a term that refers to the leader of the Sultan of Yogyakarta as the representative of God.

PITO AGUSTIN RUDIANA | ANANG ZAKARIA | PRIBADI WICAKSONO