New Indonesian President Vows to tackle Corruption

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