Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto on Sunday took over as president of the world’s third-largest democracy, vowing to combat internal issues such as corruption that plague the country and to make it more self-sufficient.
The 73-year-old has undergone a remarkable transformation, from being a former military commander facing unproven allegations of rights abuses to sweeping the polls and now leading the country of 280 million people.
Wearing a traditional black hat and navy suit with a woven maroon and golden sarong, Prabowo officially became 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 fiery speech to lawmakers he would be president for all Indonesians and challenged the nation to help him face down the country’s problems.
“We must always realise that a free nation is where the people are free,” Prabowo said, at times raising his voice.
“They must be freed of fear, poverty, hunger, ignorance, oppression, suffering,” he said.
In a wide-ranging speech lasting about an hour, Prabowo said self-sufficiency for food was possible within five years while also pledging to become self-sufficient in energy.
The new president vowed to eradicate corruption and said that while he wanted to live in a democracy, it must be “polite.”
“A difference of opinion must come without enmity … fighting without hating,” he said.
Prabowo won the Feb. 14 contest with nearly 60% of the vote and has spent the past nine months building a formidable parliamentary coalition.
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.
After his speech, Prabowo wore a baseball cap and waved through a car sunroof as he made his way to the presidential palace, passing thousands of flag-waving supporters thronging Jakarta’s streets in a festival-like atmosphere.
BBC/Shakirat Sadiq
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