The first time Prabowo Subianto lost a presidential bid, he claimed there had been “massive” fraud. The second time, the former special forces commander initially said he did not accept the election results, but later joined the winner’s cabinet.
Prabowo Subianto dominated this year’s presidential election, marking his third attempt in a decade. He will become the leader of Indonesia on Sunday. His victory comes with support from outgoing President Joko Widodo and popular policies, such as free meals for school children.
The 73-year-old, who celebrated his birthday on Thursday, has undergone a remarkable transformation. He projected a persona of a charismatic statesman during the campaign. This persona is associated with viral dance moves and represented by a cute and cuddly cartoon avatar. He often poses with his cat, Bobby.
His new image contrasts with his past reputation as a fiery, pious nationalist. As a military commander, he faced unproven allegations of rights abuses. After the popular uprising in 1998 ousted authoritarian leader Suharto, his former father-in-law, he went into self-exile in Jordan for a time.
Since winning the February election, Prabowo Subianto has signalled he will seek a greater role for Indonesia on the international stage, pledged to lift economic growth and urged unity in the country.
“I will prove that I will fight for all Indonesians, including those who did not vote for me,” Prabowo Subianto stated soon after officials declared him the winner.
Also See: The central bank of Indonesia cut interest to 4%, a drop of 25 base points
The Personality of Prabowo Subianto
Prabowo’s personality as a self-assured leader will reflect in the way he runs the country. He will likely take a top-down approach and surround himself with a close group of advisers, analysts say.
But his past has also raised concerns about the trajectory of democracy, human rights advocates say, in a country that only 26 years ago broke free of authoritarian rule.
Officials with Prabowo’s Gerindra party did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Muhammad Sarmuji, a top official with the Golkar party in Prabowo’s coalition, expressed his views on the incoming leader’s education. He noted that Prabowo studied in Western countries. Sarmuji believes this means Prabowo will not always be a top-down leader. He added that Prabowo has also absorbed the values of democracy.
Prabowo studied at the American School in London and attended military courses in the United States, including at Fort Benning.
“I am not worried that he will do anything that is anti-democratic. So, there’s nothing to worry about,” Sarmuji said.
PAST A HARBINGER FOR FUTURE?
Prabowo comes from an elite political family. His father was one of Indonesia’s most prominent economists, serving in the cabinets of both presidents Sukarno and Suharto.
In 1983, Prabowo married Siti Hediati Hariyadi, Suharto’s daughter. However, they separated shortly after the ousting of the president in 1998. They have one son together.
Prabowo, a three-star lieutenant general, was dismissed from the military in 1998. He faces accusations of involvement in the kidnapping of student activists and rights abuses in Papua and East Timor. This year, the outgoing president, popularly known as Jokowi, awarded him the honorary rank of four-star general.
There was previously a de facto ban on Prabowo’s entry to the United States, but the allegations against him are unproven and Prabowo has always denied any responsibility.
It’s those allegations and some recent comments that have increased fears amongst human rights activists, who say that Prabowo is inheriting a fragile democracy.
President B.J. Habibie, Suharto’s successor, said that in 1998 Prabowo showed up at the presidential palace after his inauguration, armed and with a squad of special forces soldiers, and tried to stage a coup. Prabowo has dismissed the accusation.
In March, Prabowo described democracy as tiring, costly and messy, and said there was room for improvement.
Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia, said that unlike Jokowi, Prabowo could be more overt in any challenges to civil society.
“Prabowo will be more explicit in expressing his views. He will do whatever he says,” Hamid said.
APPROACH TO THE PRESIDENCY
Prabowo surrounds himself with close family members and former colleagues, including from his time in the military, analysts say.
Analysts will closely watch his approach to leadership, his sometimes free-wheeling comments, and the individuals he includes in his inner circle.
A Western government official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said there were questions about how he would work with bureaucrats compared to his closest advisers.
While Jokowi often sought advice from his close aides and gave them key positions, he left some issues like foreign policy largely in the hands of bureaucrats.
Western officials say they have felt they had a better handle on how Jokowi’s government functioned and are still working to understand how Prabowo will operate.
Foreign investors have been worried that Prabowo may ease fiscal discipline in the country to try to reach his goal of boosting Indonesia’s economic growth to 8%.
Prabowo, who served as defense minister under Jokowi, raised eyebrows at the regional security forum known as the Shangri-La Dialogue in June. He talked about the possibility of Indonesian peacekeepers going into Gaza. Last year, he proposed a U.N. referendum on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which included the idea of a demilitarized zone.
While experts say public comments like those are unlikely to stop any time soon, they hope Prabowo’s actions may be more restrained when he is in office.
Yoes Kenawas, a research fellow from Atma Jaya University, said it was unlikely Prabowo would be an authoritarian figure, because of international and domestic resistance.
“Prabowo will be more actively voicing his thoughts to (the) public, from here we could get the sense of a strongman,” Yoes said. “But whether he will kidnap his opposition? I don’t think so, hopefully not.”
This news is sourced from Reuters and is intended for informational purposes only.
Your trusted source for insightful journalism. Stay informed with our compelling coverage of global affairs, business, technology, and more.
Add a Comment