ASIA/INDONESIA - President Prabowo Subianto takes office as Head of State

Jakarta (Agenzia Fides) - The new Indonesian Head of State, Prabowo Subianto, has officially taken office as the eighth President of the country, after the handover from outgoing President Joko Widodo.
In his first speech as President, Prabowo promised to eradicate corruption and strive for the country's self-sufficiency in food and energy. Gibran Rakabuming Raka, son of former President Joko Widodo, took over as Vice President. Prabowo, who continues to cultivate relations with the former President, could appoint Widodo to a leading role in the Presidential Advisory Council ("Wantimpres"), in order to consolidate support for the still popular Widodo and his supporters. Proabowo's government consists of 48 ministries with a total of over 100 ministers and secretaries of state. Prabowo's executive differs in some respects from that of Joko Widodo, as some ministries have been split or renamed: for example, the previous ministries of education and culture and environment and forests are now separate. In an effort to maintain continuity with the past, the reappointment of Sri Mulyani Indrawati as finance minister is notable. A former director general of the World Bank, Sri Mulyani was involved in reforming the tax system under two presidents before Prabowo. He is the man who will implement Prabowo's major programs, such as the one that caused a stir during the election campaign: the announced distribution of free meals to some 83 million children in public schools and to pregnant women to combat growth problems. This plan has already been criticized by those who consider it too expensive, as it will burden the state budget with USD 28 billion. According to analysts, Prabowo otherwise shows a general intention to continue Joko Widodo's policies, especially in the economic field. Given Prabowo's background as a former general and defense minister, analysts predict that many posts will be given to members of the military and that his administration will seek to strengthen military capabilities and modernize defense equipment. According to the president's presentation, investments in defense will be part of a broader effort to boost economic growth. In foreign policy, Indonesia is expected to assert its role as a founding member of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), and the president will seek to increase Indonesia's influence on regional and international issues. The new president's first official trip, meanwhile, will be to China, with the aim of strengthening trade ties and economic cooperation while seeking potential investors for the mega-project of the new Indonesian capital Nusantara, which is being built on the island of Borneo. The ambitious project was launched under his predecessor Widodo, and the new president will now have to push it forward, whereas so far the lack of foreign investment has severely slowed the project. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 21/10/2024)

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