Prabowo Subianto has been sworn in as President of Indonesia, following a commanding win in February’s elections.
Prabowo served as Minister of Defense under outgoing president Joko Widodo (Jokowi). He won February’s election with 58.6% of the vote.
His running mate, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, is the former mayor of Surakarta and the eldest son of Joko Widodo.
Prabowo said in his inaugural speech to parliament that Indonesia’s democracy must be “polite”.
“A difference of opinion must come without enmity,” he said on Sunday.
He also said that Indonesia could be self-sufficient in food within five years, and promised it would soon be self-sufficient in energy.
In March, Prabowo signalled his distaste for democratic rule, saying “democracy is very, very messy and costly”.
Indonesia’s new cabinet was sworn in today, with most economics-related ministers remaining from Jokowi’s term.
Prabowo ran against Jokowi for Indonesia’s presidency in 2014 and 2019.
However, Jokowi vocally backed Prabowo’s candidacy this year, with the documentary Dirty Vote accusing Jokowi of using state officials and funds to support Prabowo.
Prabowo has also been accused of human rights abuses, having served as a general under Suharto.
He commanded a crackdown on a protest at Jakarta’s Trisakti University in 1998, killing four students. His troops also abducted pro-democracy activists on the Island.
Prabowo was banned from the United States until 2020, and de facto banned from Australia until 2014.