New Order

Cute grandpa or authoritarian in waiting: who is Prabowo Subianto, the favourite to win Indonesia’s presidential election?

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, February 11, 2024

Ambitious and mercurial, with a dark past, former army general Prabowo Subianto has spent a lifetime vying for the ultimate prize in Indonesian politics. Now, with a large lead in the latest polls ahead of this week’s election, it looks as though the presidency is finally within his grasp. So, who is Prabowo and how will he change Indonesia if he wins?A rapid rise through the military ranks – and fallPrabowo’s grandfather was the founder of Indonesia’s first state bank and a prominent member of Indonesia’s independence movement.

Key Points: 


Ambitious and mercurial, with a dark past, former army general Prabowo Subianto has spent a lifetime vying for the ultimate prize in Indonesian politics. Now, with a large lead in the latest polls ahead of this week’s election, it looks as though the presidency is finally within his grasp. So, who is Prabowo and how will he change Indonesia if he wins?

A rapid rise through the military ranks – and fall

  • Prabowo’s grandfather was the founder of Indonesia’s first state bank and a prominent member of Indonesia’s independence movement.
  • His father was a leading economist who served as minister of finance, minister of trade and minister for research in the government.
  • An ambitious military officer serving mostly in the Special Forces (Kopassus), his marriage to a daughter of the authoritarian former president, Soeharto, fast-tracked his career.
  • Prabowo rose to the rank of lieutenant general and, finally, the key position of commander of the powerful Army Strategic Reserve (Kostrad) in the capital, Jakarta.
  • As Soeharto’s regime began to falter amid the financial crisis of 1997, Prabowo become involved in covert operations to defend Soeharto’s army-backed and repressive New Order regime against its critics.
  • He went into voluntary exile in Jordan for some years and it seemed his career was over.

Three unsuccessful bids for higher office

  • By 2009, he was a wealthy business figure and had co-founded his own political party, Gerindra.
  • He had also rehabilitated himself enough to make a formal bid for power, running for vice president in the 2009 elections on a ticket with former president Megawati Soekarnoputri.
  • In 2019, he tried once again against Jokowi, this time turning to conservative Islamists to support him.
  • Dumping his supporters, he took the position of defence minister in the cabinet of his rival, Jokowi.

Controversial political moves

  • In his current run for president, Prabowo has selected Jokowi’s son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as his vice-presidential running mate.
  • (Although Jokowi has never explicitly endorsed Prabowo, Gibran’s candidacy makes Jokowi’s preferences crystal clear.)
  • His actions also pose a major threat to PDI-P’s prospects in the legislative elections (held at the same time as the presidential vote).
  • To the PDI-P leader, former president Megawati, and many of her supporters, Jokowi is now a traitor and enemy who may inflict huge damage on their political prospects.

Why this election matters

  • However, Prabowo has undergone (yet another) spectacular reinvention in recent months that has helped as well.
  • In fact, he has repeatedly said Indonesia’s democratic system is not working and the country should return to its original 1945 constitution.
  • This would mean unravelling most of the reforms introduced since Soeharto fell, which are largely based on constitutional amendments.
  • This means many have no memory of Soeharto’s oppressive and abusive New Order that Prabowo seems to want to revive.


Tim Lindsey receives funding from the Australian Research Council

Craftsmanship and Nature Inspire Formica Corporation's SurfaceSet® 2022 Collection

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, July 7, 2022

CINCINNATI, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Formica Corporation announces the launch of SurfaceSet® 2022, the latest collection in the brand's commercial laminate portfolio. Inspired by nature and the beauty of handcrafted processes, the collection introduces 20 new decors to strengthen the design toolbox, enabling commercial interior designers to bring their visions to life.

Key Points: 
  • SurfaceSet2022 brings four solid colors, six woodgrains, 10 patterns and two textures into the Formica Laminate repertoire.
  • These new introductions reflect three primary trend drivers Formica Corporation uncovered through research: New Order, Safe Haven and Fresh Start.
  • Formica Group is a global group of companies consisting of Formica Canada Inc., Formica Corporation, Formica de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Formica IKI Oy, Formica Skandinavien AB, Formica Limited, Formica S.A., Formica S.A.S., Formica Taiwan Corporation, Formica (Thailand) Co., Ltd., Formica (Asia) Ltd., Formica Decorative Materials (China) Co., Ltd. and Homapal GmbH, among others.
  • Formica, Formica Laminate, SurfaceSet, and the Formica Anvil Logo are registered trademarks of The Diller Corporation.

SONGCLIP ANNOUNCES MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP AND UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUBLISHING GROUP

Retrieved on: 
Monday, June 13, 2022

SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Songclip, the world's only patented music clip company, today announced a multi-year global strategic partnership with Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music entertainment and leading, global music publisher, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG).

Key Points: 
  • SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Songclip, the world's only patented music clip company, today announced a multi-year global strategic partnership with Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music entertainment and leading, global music publisher, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG).
  • For more information, visit Songclip.com
    At Universal Music Group, we exist to shape culture through the power of artistry.
  • UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audio-visual content.
  • For more information onUniversal Music Group visit www.universalmusic.com
    Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) is a leading global music publisher with 51offices in 41countries.

SONGCLIP ANNOUNCES MULTI-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP AND UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUBLISHING GROUP

Retrieved on: 
Monday, June 13, 2022

SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Songclip, the world's only patented music clip company, today announced a multi-year global strategic partnership with Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music entertainment and leading, global music publisher, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG).

Key Points: 
  • SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Songclip, the world's only patented music clip company, today announced a multi-year global strategic partnership with Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music entertainment and leading, global music publisher, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG).
  • For more information, visit Songclip.com
    At Universal Music Group, we exist to shape culture through the power of artistry.
  • UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audio-visual content.
  • For more information onUniversal Music Group visit www.universalmusic.com
    Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) is a leading global music publisher with 51offices in 41countries.

Indonesia: Statement by the Spokesperson on the 15th anniversary

Retrieved on: 
Saturday, August 15, 2020

15 August 2020 marks the fifteenth anniversary of the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement.

Key Points: 
  • 15 August 2020 marks the fifteenth anniversary of the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Indonesia and the Free Aceh Movement.
  • The peace agreement brought an end to 30 years of conflict.
  • Acehs example serves as an inspiration of how, through negotiations and strong political will, peace can be achieved even in the most dire of circumstances.
  • We remain committed to Aceh's socio-economic development and to the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding.