New Age | Prabowo takes office as Indonesian president

Former general Prabowo Subianto was sworn in as Indonesia's president on Sunday.

The fiery 73-year-old nationalist, accused of human rights violations during his military service, was sworn in in Parliament to officially succeed outgoing leader Joko Widodo.

We will lead the Indonesian government… prioritizing the interests of all Indonesians, including those who did not vote for us, he said, pledging to fight corruption and protect the democracy.

Prabowo committed to Indonesia's non-aligned foreign policy, but indicated he would be bolder on the world stage.

He made his first foreign visit to China after his election eight months ago, before traveling to a dozen other countries, including Russia and Australia, where he signed a key security agreement .

Prabowo won by a landslide first-round victory in the February vote, helped by the support of his running mate Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Widodo's 37-year-old son.

After his swearing-in, the former defense minister, dressed in traditional attire, addressed lawmakers who chanted his name.

He spoke of sticking to Indonesia's neutral foreign policy, but said territorial defense would be a priority.

We want to be good neighbors, he said.

We don't want to bother other countries, but we won't let any country bother us.

Prabowo then visited the presidential palace in Jakarta, shaking hands with supporters before a handover ceremony with Widodo, better known as Jokowi, a former rival to whom he lost two elections.

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Several dozen diplomats attended the inauguration, including Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, British Foreign Minister David Lammy and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message on Sunday, saying he would maintain close strategic communication with Prabowo, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

Tens of thousands of people filled the streets of Jakarta amid tight security as Prabowo became Indonesia's eighth leader since the country's independence in 1945.

I hope the vision and mission they created can be implemented, prioritizing the well-being of the people, said Calissa Putri, a 20-year-old student from Prabowo and Gibran.

While his supporters hailed his rise to the presidency, critics pointed to a checkered past.

NGOs and his former military leaders accuse Prabowo of ordering the kidnapping of democracy activists at the end of dictator Suharto's regime in the late 1990s.

The Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence said 13 activists kidnapped between 1997 and 1998 were still missing.

Prabowo was discharged from military service over the kidnappings, but denied the allegations.

The United States has previously refused to issue Prabowo a visa due to his rights record, and he was also reportedly once blacklisted in Australia.

Concerns remain about what Prabowos' rise could mean for democracy and human rights, said Parker Novak, a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council.

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A campaign to rehabilitate Prabowo's reputation appealed to young voters in the last election, with the former general transforming himself into a grandfather figure.

Gibran's addition to the list sparked accusations of nepotism after the age limits for candidates were lowered last year by Jokowis' brother-in-law, then chief justice.

Gibran's popularity is linked to his father, who led Indonesia relatively unscathed from the Covid-19 pandemic and returned to 5% growth.

Jokowi's successor set an even higher target of eight percent growth.

But experts say a bigger challenge lies ahead on the global stage.

He will have to navigate the inevitable tensions between his country's extensive economic relations with China and growing security relationships with the United States and Australia, Novak said.