Prabowo Subianto Takes Office: What’s Next for Indonesia Under Its New President?

Indonesia’s new president, Prabowo Subianto, officially took office. The inauguration ceremony took place on October 20 at the Parliamentary Complex in Jakarta.

“I swear to fulfill the duties of the President of the Republic of Indonesia to the best of my ability and fairness,” Subianto said while taking the oath. “I swear to uphold the constitution and fully enforce all laws and regulations, as well as remain loyal to the homeland and the nation.”

Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, son of former Indonesian leader Joko Widodo, who governed the republic since 2014, also took the oath as the second-in-command. Both the president and vice president will serve until 2029.

After the ceremony, Subianto held meetings with foreign dignitaries, including heads of state. Russia was represented by First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov.

Prabowo Subianto was born on October 17, 1951, in Jakarta. He comes from an aristocratic Javanese family. He received his secondary education in the UK and graduated from Indonesia’s National Military Academy. He was married to Siti Hediati Hariyadi, the daughter of former president Suharto, and they have a son.

In 1976, Subianto commanded troops during Indonesia’s occupation of East Timor. In the mid-90s, he led Special Forces, and in 1998, the Army Strategic Reserve. He was discharged from the military with the rank of lieutenant general. Subianto has been linked to human rights violations, particularly accused of abducting activists during mass protests in 1998, although no formal charges were brought against him. He lived in Jordan for a long time. Upon returning to Indonesia, he founded a pulp and paper company, and later a conglomerate that included enterprises in agriculture, fisheries, and mining.

In 2008, Prabowo Subianto co-founded the Great Indonesia Movement Party. In 2009, he ran as a vice-presidential candidate with Megawati Sukarnoputri, but they lost in the second round. In 2014 and 2019, he ran for president but was defeated both times by Joko Widodo. Over the past five years, Subianto served as Indonesia’s Minister of Defense. In February this year, he ran for president again, winning more than 58% of the vote. In April, the country’s Election Commission officially declared Subianto the next president, dismissing lawsuits challenging the election results.

During the election race, Prabowo Subianto positioned himself as a moderate politician, although he was previously known for his sharp nationalist rhetoric. As president, he promises to grow the economy, fight poverty and corruption, and attract foreign investment. He also plans to stimulate local industries and limit the export of natural resources, particularly nickel, which is essential for electric vehicle battery production. Indonesia holds a quarter of the world’s nickel reserves.

Subianto also aims to complete the previous president’s project of relocating the capital from Jakarta to Nusantara, a new city being built on the island of Kalimantan. He has expressed his readiness to move there.

Subianto has also addressed the development of Bali, a popular tourist destination. The president plans to revive the project of building an airport in the north of the island. He has also acknowledged the numerous complaints from tourists about traffic congestion.

In foreign policy, Subianto stated that Indonesia would maintain its non-alignment philosophy, avoiding alliances with any particular bloc.

“We want to be friends with all nations, while adhering to the principle of anti-colonialism, as we have experienced colonization, and anti-oppression, as we were oppressed,” Subianto said.

During the summer, after being elected president, Prabowo Subianto visited Russia, where he held talks with Vladimir Putin and met with the Ministry of Defense leadership. Discussions included cooperation with Rosatom and the resumption of direct flights from Moscow to Bali, which had been halted since the pandemic. As of September 17, direct flights have resumed. Subianto also welcomed the opening of the Russian Consulate General in Bali.

As Minister of Defense, Subianto was involved in peace initiatives regarding Ukraine, which were presented at two recent security forums in Singapore. Subianto called for the creation of a demilitarized zone. After the inauguration, he promised to “continue efforts” to stop the war.