JAKARTA — Dismissed from the military amid speculation of rights abuses, exiled in Jordan, and banned from travelling to the US on account of his alleged dark past, Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto is now in pole position to be Indonesia's next leader.
The two-time presidential loser announced on Sunday he will contest the post for the third time in the February election, with President Joko Widodo's son as his running mate.The former special forces commander has undergone a remarkable transformation since being appointed defence minister in 2019, cultivating a persona that is more charismatic statesman than fiery, pious nationalist, analysts say.
An opinion poll published by Lembaga Survei Indonesia this month showed Prabowo ahead of his two opponents with 34 per cent support. Unable to run after serving the maximum two terms, Widodo, better known as Jokowi, has signalled he backs his once bitter enemy. Jokowi defeated Prabowo in the 2014 and 2019 elections.
As minister, Prabowo has embarked on an ambitious upgrade of the country's ageing military hardware, signing defence deals in Europe, the US and Middle East, with red carpets rolled out for him from Paris to Beijing.To his almost six million Instagram followers, Prabowo's profile is regularly updated with snaps from his day job, interspersed with offerings of his cats, artistic black and white portraits, and vintage family photographs of his parents and childhood.
In another sign of the image makeover, in a recent television interview with journalist Najwa Shihab, the former general, known for his legendary temper, came across as humorous and avuncular. "He obviously has very savvy PR people who have helped to shape his image. He has been much more restrained in direct interviews and has avoided open press conferences," said Andreas Harsono, Indonesia researcher at Human Rights Watch.