Prabowo sworn in as Indonesia’s eighth president; urges nation to be brave in tackling challenges
Over 30 heads of states and foreign dignitaries attended the inauguration ceremony on Sunday morning. These included Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Mr Prabowo Subianto during the swearing-in ceremony to be Indonesia's new president as outgoing President Joko Widodo looks on at the Parliament complex on Oct 20, 2024. (Photo: Prabowo's media team)
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JAKARTA: Indonesia’s newly inaugurated President Prabowo Subianto has pledged to be a leader who would work with everyone bravely in tackling the country’s challenges, even as it remained unclear whether the country’s biggest party and winner of the legislative election would join his government.
If the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) does so, that would leave the country without a parliamentary opposition for the first time since direct presidential elections were introduced in 2004.
Speaking in his maiden speech on Sunday (Oct 20) after he was sworn in, Mr Prabowo also pledged to work for all Indonesians - even those who did not vote for him during the election on Feb 14 - and to put their interests above all else.
“I will lead the Indonesian government with sincerity, prioritising the interests of all Indonesian people, including those who did not vote for us. (I will lead) above all groups, and put aside our personal interests,” Mr Prabowo said at the Parliament complex in Jakarta, referring to the pairing of himself and Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

The new president also rallied the nation to be brave alongside him in tackling challenges such as eradicating corruption, poverty as well as making Indonesia self-sufficient in areas such as energy.
“We have to become a nation that is brave and not afraid of challenges, obstacles, threats,” Mr Prabowo said to the cheers of lawmakers. “Our history is a history full of heroism, sacrifice, courage. A brave nation is one that makes the impossible possible.”
Mr Prabowo was sworn in as Indonesia’s eighth president at a ceremony attended by his predecessor Joko Widodo, who is Mr Gibran’s father, as well as Indonesia’s sixth president, Mr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
But the country’s fifth president - who is also PDI-P chairwoman - Mdm Megawati Soekarnoputri was absent. According to Mr Ahmad Muzani, the head of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) who led the inauguration ceremony, Mdm Megawati was absent because she caught the flu. Her daughter, house speaker Puan Maharani, represented her instead.
In his 50-minute speech, Mr Prabowo said the country needs an atmosphere of togetherness and unity. “We need collaboration and cooperation, not prolonged bickering. We need wise leaders,” said Mr Prabowo.
He cited himself and Mr Widodo as an example who were rivals during the 2014 and 2019 elections. But he added that they made peace with the rivalry and he even joined the latter’s Cabinet in 2019 as Defence Minister.
"Now I am the winner and I invite all parties to unite," Mr Prabowo said as the outgoing President Jokowi looked on.
The former army general campaigned for the continuation of Mr Widodo’s programmes when he ran for the presidency, and his speech asserted that he would continue with some of his predecessor’s programmes.
Mr Prabowo said that the country must continue with downstreaming, which is a policy introduced by Mr Widodo, which refers to the process of producing added-value products locally from minerals instead of exporting raw minerals abroad that would be economically more profitable for Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.
Wearing a blue outfit with a red sarong, the traditional attire of Jakarta’s native people Betawi, Mr Prabowo gave a wide-ranging speech that touched on domestic issues and foreign policy.
He said that his government aims to make the country self-sufficient in food within four or five years. “We must be able to produce food for our people,” he said. “In four or five years, we will be self-sufficient in food, even ready to become the world's food farm.”
He also added the country must also be energy self-sufficient, and that it already has the potential to do so.
“We also have to be self-sufficient in energy. In a situation where there is war everywhere, we have to be prepared for the worst.
“Other countries will have to think of themselves. We have to be self-sufficient in energy, and we are able to be self-sufficient in energy,” said Mr Prabowo.
He stressed that Indonesia is a country rich in oil palm, as well as geothermal, coal and water that can be harnessed for energy.

Mr Prabowo’s flagship programme during the presidential campaign was, however, to provide free food for schoolchildren and pregnant mothers.
He asserted in his speech that Indonesian children must eat nutritious food at least once a day.
Meanwhile, Mr Prabowo also took the opportunity to comment about global affairs and reiterated that Indonesia’s foreign policy will remain non-aligned.
He also stressed that Indonesia will continue to support the independence of Palestinian statehood.
“We must be solid, and we must defend the oppressed people of the world. Therefore, we support the independence of the Palestinian people," said the 73-year-old leader.

CEREMONY ATTENDED BY REGIONAL LEADERS, FOREIGN DIGNITARIES
The inauguration ceremony on Sunday was attended by over 30 heads of states and foreign dignitaries.
Among them were Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as well as Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Others who were present include China’s Vice-President Han Zheng, South Korea’s Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dennis Maturov. The United States was represented by its Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
At the ceremony which began at 10am local time, an official from the country’s Supreme Court presided over the inauguration and raised a copy of the Quran Islamic holy book over the new president’s head while Mr Prabowo took his oath of office.

After the ceremony at the Parliament building, Mr Prabowo’s and Mr Gibran’s motorcade passed through Jakarta’s main thoroughfares as they made their way to the presidential palace.
These were scenes reminiscent of 2014, when Mr Widodo and his then-vice president, Mr Jusuf Kalla, greeted supporters who were waiting at the Hotel Indonesia roundabout in downtown Jakarta before they were ferried in a horse-drawn carriage to the presidential palace around 3km away.
After the procession on Sunday, Mr Widodo and Mr Prabowo later met for an official handover ceremony at the presidential palace before the outgoing president left for Solo.

WHO’S IN, WHO’S OUT OF PRABOWO’S NEW CABINET
Later in the day, the new president is expected to announce his Cabinet, which has been a source of feverish speculation and debate in Indonesia in recent weeks.
Mr Prabowo has already garnered the support of 12 political parties and is wooing another to join his coalition: Mdm Megawati’s PDI-P.
This leaves analysts worried the country could be without any real opposition to the government for the first time since the 1998 fall of Suharto, Indonesia’s second president who ruled the country with an iron fist for more than three decades.
After partnering Jokowi’s eldest son, Mr Gibran, in February’s presidential election, he was seen as a continuity candidate and greatly benefited from Jokowi’s high public approval rating of 77 per cent.
At 73, he is Indonesia’s oldest president to take office while Mr Gibran, 37, is the country’s youngest-ever vice-president.
Between Monday and Tuesday (Oct 14-15), more than 100 politicians and technocrats were summoned to Mr Prabowo’s home for discussions.
They included ministers who served in Jokowi’s administration such as Mr Erick Thohir, who was the minister for state-owned enterprises, and Dr Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who could be the first finance minister to serve under three different presidents.
Those with no previous experience in the bureaucracy included singer-turned-politician Giring Ganesha, badminton legend Taufik Hidayat and celebrity and entrepreneur Raffi Ahmad.
Professor Yusril Ihza Mahendra told reporters outside Mr Prabowo’s home on Monday (Oct 14) that he has been asked to be the country’s coordinating minister for law and human rights.
Prof Yusril said that although the Cabinet will be announced on Sunday, they will be sworn in the next day.
Local media reported that those touted to become ministers and deputy ministers were invited to spend Wednesday and Thursday at Mr Prabowo’s villa in the hilly outskirts of Jakarta. In total, 108 people were told to go for a briefing with Mr Prabowo.

If they turn out to be members of his Cabinet, Mr Prabowo could have the most number of ministers in Indonesia’s history.
In contrast, Mr Widodo had 34 ministers, 17 vice-ministers and 11 ministerial-level officials while Mr Yudhoyono had 34 ministers, 17 vice-ministers and four ministerial-level officials.
Notably, none of the figures invited to meet Mr Prabowo were from the PDI-P and National Democrats (Nasdem).
Nasdem politician Saan Mustopa said the party was offered positions but needed more time to discuss further with the new president. “We are still behind Mr Prabowo’s administration. We will fully support Mr Prabowo’s policies and programmes,” Mr Saan said on Oct 14, as quoted by Detik.
The PDI-P is the only party in parliament that has not aired its intention to join Mr Prabowo’s administration although one of its senior members, Ms Puan Maharani, said the party will still support his administration in one way or another.
Even if the PDI-P decides to stay away, Mr Prabowo could face no real opposition in parliament. Although the PDI-P, with 110 seats, has the most seats in the legislative branch of government, it is nothing compared to the new president’s coalition of parties, with 470 seats.
Of the 12 political parties that have backed him, only eight have seats in parliament, including his Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).

BIGGER ROLE ON INTERNATIONAL STAGE?
Mr Prabowo has previously pledged to continue Mr Widodo’s legacy, which includes his infrastructure drive and the planned relocation of the country’s capital from Jakarta to Nusantara in East Kalimantan.
Despite winning on the pledge of continuity, however, analysts say Mr Prabowo could adopt different approaches in his economic, defence and foreign policy.
They also told CNA that Mr Prabowo will likely prioritise his own programmes and campaign promises, such as the free-meal programme for schoolchildren and pregnant women.
The former general could also pave the way for the military to play a greater role in Indonesia. Analysts highlighted the fact that Mr Prabowo is already earmarking 165.2 trillion rupiah for the defence ministry, the biggest out of all ministries.
Some Indonesians are concerned about the military playing a bigger role in Indonesia, in light of allegations of past abuses by military personnel.
Analysts said Mr Prabowo could also attempt to revise the law and allow military personnel to own businesses, raising concerns of conflict of interest and a return to the New Order era under Suharto, when the military was involved in both defence and civilian governance.
A bill containing similar provisions was discussed by the last parliament. But the parliamentarians ran out of time to address some of the public’s concerns and failed to pass it by the end of their term on Sep 30. The bill could still be revived by new lawmakers who were sworn in on Oct 1.
Given his outgoing personality, vast network and track record as defence minister, Indonesia under Mr Prabowo could play a bigger role on the international stage – from seeking a resolution to the ongoing conflict in Myanmar and tensions in the South China Sea, to mitigating the effects of a United States-China rivalry in the region.
Unlike Mr Widodo, who tended to send his foreign minister Retno Marsudi to international summits and forums, analysts said Mr Prabowo will likely attend more events and engage with leaders from other countries, allowing Indonesia to increase its presence and role in the international arena.
In the last six months, he has already visited about 20 countries and attended events such as the Paris Olympics. Observers have noted that while most of the official visits were focused on defence cooperation, some were not related to Indonesia’s security matters.