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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets with Indonesia’s president-elect Prabowo Subianto during a courtesy call at the Malacanang Palace on September 20, 2024. Marianne Bermudez, PPA pool/File

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Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:1486px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1729382428767172932492827420240920-bbm-subianto-prabowo-PPA-4.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets with Indonesia’s president-elect Prabowo Subianto during a courtesy call at the Malacanang Palace on September 20, 2024. Marianne Bermudez, PPA pool/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. meets with Indonesia&#x27;s president-elect Prabowo Subianto during a courtesy call at the Malacanang Palace on September 20, 2024. <em>Marianne Bermudez, PPA pool/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>JAKARTA, Indonesia (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) -- Former general Prabowo Subianto was sworn in Sunday as president of Indonesia, seeking a more prominent position on the global stage for the world&#x27;s fourth most populous nation.</p><p>The 73-year-old fiery nationalist -- accused of rights abuses during his time in the military -- took the oath at parliament to officially succeed outgoing leader Joko Widodo.</p><p>&quot;I swear that I will fulfill the duties of the president of the Republic of Indonesia as best as possible and as fair as possible,&quot; he said.</p><p>Prabowo has committed himself to Indonesia&#x27;s non-aligned foreign policy, but has signaled that he will be bolder on the world stage.</p><p>He made China his first foreign visit after his election eight months ago, before embarking on trips to a dozen other countries including Russia and Australia, where he signed a key security deal.</p><p>He inherits Southeast Asia&#x27;s largest economy and the world&#x27;s largest nickel reserves, taking lead of a country of 280 million where about half are below the age of 30.</p><p>Prabowo won by a first-round landslide in the February vote, helped by the support of running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the 37-year-old son of Widodo, and bold campaign pledges including a $28 billion free meal plan for children.</p><p>The former defense minister, dressed in traditional attire, gave a bombastic speech to lawmakers who applauded him and chanted his name.</p><p>&quot;We will lead the Indonesian government... by prioritizing the interests of all Indonesian people including those who did not vote for us,&quot; he said.</p><p>He spoke about presiding over a &quot;peaceful democracy&quot;, sticking to a &quot;good neighbor&quot; policy and said there was still too much corruption &quot;at all levels&quot;, before ending his speech with shouts of &quot;freedom!&quot;.</p><p>Prabowo then drove from parliament to the presidential palace in Jakarta, shaking hands with supporters from the roof of his car along the way.</p><p>He arrived for a handover ceremony with Widodo, more popularly known as Jokowi, a former rival to whom he lost two election races in 2014 and 2019.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/19/marcos-jr-to-attend-inauguration-of-new-indonesian-president-in-jakarta-1600">READ: Marcos Jr. to attend inauguration of new Indonesian president in Jakarta</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/20/indonesian-president-elect-commits-to-boost-ties-with-ph-1431">READ: Indonesian President-elect commits to boost ties with PH</a></div><div><strong>- Rights record -</strong></div><p>Several dozen diplomats attended the inauguration, including British foreign minister David Lammy and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng.</p><p>Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Prabowo on Sunday, saying he would maintain &quot;close strategic communication&quot; with his new Indonesian counterpart, state broadcaster CCTV said.</p><p>Security was heightened across the capital Jakarta ahead of the inauguration, with around 100,000 police and army personnel deployed.</p><p>Tens of thousands lined the streets of Jakarta as Prabowo became Indonesia&#x27;s eighth leader since the country achieved independence from Dutch colonial rule in 1945.</p><p>While supporters hailed his ascent to the presidency, critics have pointed to a checkered past.</p><p>NGOs and his former military bosses accuse Prabowo of ordering the abduction of democracy activists at the end of dictator Suharto&#x27;s rule in the late 1990s.</p><p>According to the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence, or Kontras, 23 activists were kidnapped between 1997 and 1998 and 13 are still missing.</p><p>Prabowo was discharged from the military over the abductions, but denied the allegations.</p><p>The United States once refused to give Prabowo a visa because of his rights record, and he was also reportedly included on a blacklist in Australia for a while.</p><p>Prabowo has also been accused of involvement in military crimes in East Timor under Indonesian occupation.</p><p>&quot;Concerns remain about what Prabowo&#x27;s ascension may mean for democracy and human rights,&quot; said Parker Novak, nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/14/subianto-claims-victory-for-all-indonesians-in-presidential-vote-2316">READ: Subianto claims &#x27;victory for all Indonesians&#x27; in presidential vote</a></div><div><strong>- Image reboot -</strong></div><p>A campaign to rehabilitate Prabowo&#x27;s reputation won over younger voters in the last election, with the former general remodeling himself as a grandfatherly figure.</p><p>He shared images of his cats to his six million Instagram followers, while videos of him dancing went viral and painted him as the everyman candidate.</p><p>The addition of Gibran to the ticket prompted protests and accusations of nepotism after age limits for candidates were lowered last year by Jokowi&#x27;s brother-in-law, then the chief justice.</p><p>Gibran&#x27;s popularity is tied to his father, who took Indonesia out of the Covid-19 pandemic relatively unscathed and back to five percent growth.</p><p>The outgoing president&#x27;s successor has set an even higher target of eight percent growth.</p><p>But experts say a bigger challenge lies ahead for Prabowo on the world stage.</p><p>&quot;He will have to navigate inevitable tension between his country&#x27;s extensive economic relationship with China and growing security relationships with the United States and Australia,&quot; said Novak.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAEyze-tm4MR6kEa&amp;cid=ABOuBJdUyJa9xumA&amp;activation=click&amp;vip_mode=playing&amp;vip_position=bottom-right"></script>

<p>The 73-year-old fiery nationalist will take an oath at parliament before heading to the presidential palace where Joko Widodo will hand over the reins after a decade in power.</p>

The 73-year-old fiery nationalist will take an oath at parliament before heading to the presidential palace where Joko Widodo will hand over the reins after a decade in power.

Ex-general Prabowo takes office as Indonesia president

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Ex-general Prabowo takes office as Indonesia president

Agence France-Presse,

Jack Moore

Published Oct 20, 2024 08:01 AM PHT

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Updated Oct 20, 2024 05:37 PM PHT

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Indonesia

Jakarta

Prabowo Subianto

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