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Prabowo Subianto

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Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo is the eighth president of Indonesia.

He was born on October 17, 1951. Prabowo is a politician, a businessman, and a retired military officer. He is the oldest person to begin a first term as president in Indonesian history. Before becoming president, he served as the 26th Minister of Defence from 2019 to 2024. His life has been defined by high-level military service and intense political competition. He is the third president in Indonesia's history to have a military background.

Prabowo comes from a family with deep political roots in Indonesia. His father, Sumitro Djojohadikusumo, was an economist. Sumitro served as a minister under both President Sukarno and President Suharto. His grandfather, Margono Djojohadikusumo, founded Bank Negara Indonesia, the country's first state bank. Because of his father's political exile in the 1960s, Prabowo grew up in many countries. He lived in Switzerland, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom.

RM Margono Djojohadikusumo
RM Margono Djojohadikusumo

This international upbringing gave him a cosmopolitan perspective. He attended high school in Malaysia and graduated from the American School in London.

Prabowo's professional career began in the military. He graduated from the Indonesian Military Academy in 1974. Much of his early service was with Kopassus, the Indonesian Army Special Forces. In 1976, he became the youngest commander of a Nanggala commando unit in East Timor.

Prabowo in East Timor
Prabowo in East Timor

He later attended anti-terror training in Germany. He also completed commando training at Fort Bragg in the United States. In 1998, he was appointed to lead the Strategic Reserves Command, or Kostrad. This command consisted of 27,000 soldiers.

Danjen Kopassus Prabowo Subianto
Danjen Kopassus Prabowo Subianto

His military career was marked by significant controversy and allegations of misconduct. During his time in East Timor, there were claims regarding his role in massacres. In the early 1990s, human rights abuses rose during operations to stop independence movements.

Between February 1997 and May 1998, several activists were kidnapped. Some of these individuals were later found to have been tortured. Prabowo was also suspected of organizing the disappearance of 13 other activists. Because of these serious allegations, he was discharged from the military in 1998. He was also banned from entering the United States.

Following his military discharge, Prabowo entered the political arena. In 2008, his inner circle established the Gerindra Party. He ran for the vice presidency in 2009 as a running mate for Megawati Sukarnoputri. He later contested the presidential elections in 2014 and 2019. In the 2014 election, he lost to Jakarta governor Joko Widodo. In 2019, he ran again with Sandiaga Uno. This election was very heated. His followers staged protests in Jakarta that led to riots.

Prabowo Accepts Gerindra's Nomination
Prabowo Accepts Gerindra's Nomination

Despite this tension, Prabowo eventually joined Joko Widodo's cabinet as Minister of Defence.

Prabowo's path to the presidency was finalized through several official steps. The Gerindra Party announced him as their candidate in October 2021. He officially accepted the nomination in August 2022. During the 2024 election, unofficial polling showed him with a strong lead. On March 20, 2024, the General Election Commission certified the results.

The Constitutional Court confirmed his status in April 2024. He was finally sworn in as president on October 20, 2024.

Jokowi selfie with Prabowo and reporters
Jokowi selfie with Prabowo and reporters

Prabowo's career connects the military, business, and political sectors of Indonesia. His brother, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, is a very wealthy businessman with global assets. Prabowo's family has held high positions in Indonesia since the country was established in 1945. His political lineage continues through his relatives, such as Thomas and Budi Djiwandono. His life illustrates the complex transition from military command to democratic leadership. He remains a central figure in the ongoing history of Indonesian governance.

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🖼️ Images & Media (54)
File:RM Margono Djojohadikusumo.jpg
RM Margono Djojohadikusumo.jpg
File:Danjen Kopassus Prabowo Subianto.jpg
Danjen Kopassus Prabowo Subianto.jpg
File:Prabowo in East Timor.jpg
Prabowo in East Timor.jpg
File:Letjen Prabowo Subianto.jpg
Letjen Prabowo Subianto.jpg
File:Prabowo and Indonesian Pencak Silat Association.jpg
Prabowo and Indonesian Pencak Silat...
File:Prabowo Accepts Gerindra's Nomination.jpg
Prabowo Accepts Gerindra's Nomination.jpg
File:Jokowi selfie with Prabowo and reporters.jpg
Jokowi selfie with Prabowo and reporters.jpg
File:Menteri Pertahanan Prabowo Subianto.jpg
Menteri Pertahanan Prabowo Subianto.jpg
File:Inauguration of Prabowo Subianto as Minister of Defence, 2019.jpg
Inauguration of Prabowo Subianto as...
File:Prabowo periksa calon anggota Komponen Cadangan.jpg
Prabowo periksa calon anggota Komponen...
File:Prabowo bertemu Menhan UAE disaksikan Presiden Jokowi.jpg
Prabowo bertemu Menhan UAE disaksikan...
File:Courtesy Call from President-elect Prabowo of Indonesia to PM Kishida (2024) 02.jpg
Courtesy Call from President-elect...

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