Former special forces commander takes up Indonesian presidency

Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto on Sunday took over as president of the world’s third-largest democracy after sweeping the country’s election with policies like free meals for school children and with the outgoing leader’s son as his running mate.

The 73-year-old former special forces commander won the Feb. 14 contest with nearly 60% of the vote and has spent the past nine months building a formidable parliamentary coalition.

Prabowo, wearing a traditional black hat and navy suit with a woven maroon and golden sarong, officially become Indonesia’s eighth president on Sunday morning after he was sworn in during a ceremony at Indonesia’s parliament.

Prabowo, who unsuccessfully ran for the presidency twice before, said in a speech to lawmakers after taking his oath of office that he would be president for all Indonesians, even those who did not vote for him.

But he said there were internal issues in the country that had to be grappled with, including corruption.

“Do we realize that our people and our children are malnourished. So many of our people don’t have good jobs. So many of our schools are neglected,” Prabowo said.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have to be courageous looking at all of this, and we have to be courageous solving all these problems,” he said.

He was joined in the swearing-in ceremony by his running mate, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, 37, the eldest son of outgoing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

As they make their way to the presidential palace through a festival-like atmosphere they will be greeted by thousands of flag-waving supporters thronging Jakarta streets lined with posters of the incoming leader.

Flower boards set up outside the palace either congratulated Prabowo and Gibran or thanked Jokowi for his decade as president.

Prabowo and Gibran are expected to stop at seven stages along the way between parliament and the palace, Nusron Wahid, a Prabowo aide, told reporters on Friday.

Jokowi supporters are also attending the celebrations to bid farewell to Indonesia’s outgoing leader.

Anneta Yuniar, a bystander who had excitedly waved at Jokowi’s motorcade as it slowly made its way past supporters before the ceremony, said she would miss Jokowi but that Prabowo was a strong leader.

“Prabowo will continue the development that Jokowi started. There’s continuity. It’s what I want,” she said.

Jokowi has left an indelible mark on the nation of 280 million, presiding over a period of strong economic growth and massive infrastructure development.

Critics also say, though, his rule has been marked by a rise in old-time patronage and dynastic politics, and they warn about diminished integrity in courts and other state institutions.

Indonesian police and military have put in place strict security measures, deploying at least 100,000 personnel across the city, including snipers and anti-riot units.

Prabowo is expected to meet with foreign dignitaries, including a number of heads of state, later on Sunday at the presidential palace, said Hasan Nasbi, the head of the presidential communications organisation.

China said it is sending Vice President Han Zheng to the inauguration. The delegation from the United States is being led by U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

During his campaign, Prabowo billed himself to voters and investors alike as the “continuity candidate”.

He has set a target to accelerate economic growth to 8% from a current rate of 5%, pledged to make Indonesia self-sufficient in production of staples, and signalled a more active role on the global stage.

Past allegations against Prabowo of involvement in the kidnapping of student activists and human rights abuses in Papua and East Timor, however, have also raised concern about Indonesia’s trajectory of democracy, human rights advocates say.

Prabowo has always denied the allegations that led to his dismissal from the military in 1998, the same year Indonesia broke free from the decades-long authoritarian rule of former President Suharto.