Jakarta, Indonesia – On February 14, greater than 204 million Indonesians could have the prospect to vote for his or her new president.
Incumbent Joko Widodo is in his second and closing time period, and is constitutionally barred from looking for re-election.
Voters have a selection between three presidential candidates – Anies Baswedan, the previous Governor of Jakarta, Ganjar Pranowo, the previous Governor of Central Java, and Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto.
A number of polls point out Prabowo has a snug lead over his opponents.
Prabowo has tried twice to change into Indonesia’s president – and misplaced each instances to Widodo.
Since 2019, he has served as defence minister in Widodo’s cupboard.
His operating mate is 36-year-old Gibran Raka Bumingraka, the president’s eldest son.
However victory continues to be not a certainty. If no candidate can safe a minimum of 50 % of the vote, a second spherical of voting can be held in June.
Whereas Prabowo is the preferred candidate, he’s additionally polarising. Many years-old allegations of human rights abuses throughout his time within the army have been raised by rivals and rights organisations.
On the ultimate day of campaigning on Saturday, Prabowo held a rally within the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, the place he addressed 1000’s of supporters.
Backstage, the 72-year-old met with Al Jazeera Asia Correspondent Jessica Washington for an unique interview, sharing his ideas on why younger voters have been drawn to his marketing campaign and the way he plans to win over critics.
Al Jazeera: It’s the final day of campaigning. Are you feeling assured which you can win this election in a single spherical?
Prabowo Subianto: All of the figures present that means…the grassroots enthusiasm. All of the figures present that we are going to go in a single spherical.
Al Jazeera: The keenness of younger folks has been a key a part of the marketing campaign. What’s your message to your younger supporters?
Prabowo Subianto: The younger right now, they’re extra rational, they’re extra essential, they’re smarter, they sense what’s real and what’s not real.
I believe they’re very involved about their future, so those who have a very good program and good technique, those who have good commitments, they’re those that the younger can determine with they’ll assist.
Al Jazeera: Is there one thing particular about your marketing campaign that appeals to younger folks? As a result of your opponents may say it’s due to the Tiktok dances, the cartoon posters. Is there a particular coverage that appeals to younger folks?
Prabowo Subianto: My insurance policies are very rational, logical, with a commonsense strategy that’s truly constructing on all of the work of our predecessors.
Nation-building will not be a two 12 months factor, a five-year factor. It’s a interval of 1 technology or two generations.
We’ve to make use and construct on every part that has been constructed by our predecessors. That’s why folks of all strata nearly all of them get my message and assist us. They realise to construct one thing, you need to do it primarily based on robust basis after which construct upon success. Brick by brick, stone by stone.
Al Jazeera: You clearly have very many supporters however there are additionally some robust critics. For those who win this election, you’ll be their president too. How will you navigate this?
Prabowo Subianto: I’ll work for the great of Indonesia. Not for a sure phase.
I proved this, when the final election, I misplaced badly in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province. However once I grew to become Minister of Defence, I constructed one of many largest and finest polytechnics there. Within the province the place I misplaced.
Do you perceive? I don’t imagine in pondering short-term, pondering small. I wish to assume large and long-term.
Al Jazeera: Pondering large image, how do you understand Indonesia’s position on the worldwide stage, when you do change into president?
Prabowo Subianto: The nice luck we inherited from our founding fathers is the philosophy of non-alignment.
Indonesia respects all international locations, respects all nice powers.
We wish to have nice relationships with everyone. We don’t wish to be becoming a member of one bloc towards one other bloc. Our place is sort of distinctive. We’re associates with everyone. In any battle or competitors, we’re those who will be accepted by all sides.
Al Jazeera: What does Gibran deliver to this partnership, by way of abilities and expertise?
Prabowo Subianto: Greater than 50 % of our voters are beneath the age of fifty. The younger, are dynamic, savvy, and they’re essential.
For those who discover, the actual fact there’s a vice-president below the age of 40, that’s is regular in lots of international locations within the west. In Indonesia it has change into some kind of difficulty, not as a result of he’s below 40 however as a result of he’s the son of President Joko Widodo, that makes some circles really feel unhealthy. However that’s politics. You can not please everybody on a regular basis.
Al Jazeera: What is going to Indonesia appear like below your presidency?
Prabowo Subianto: I hope Indonesia can be dynamic, economically better-off. However most significantly, I wish to alleviate poverty. I wish to do away with starvation. I wish to do away with stunting for Indonesian kids. The figures usually are not so good, a minimum of 25 % of youngsters are stunted, within the outlying areas. However even in West Java, there are kids who don’t eat properly.
Al Jazeera: It’s one factor to say they are going to assist you in polls, and to indicate up at marketing campaign occasions. It’s a special matter in terms of truly displaying up on February 14 and voting. Do you’ve gotten any concern in regards to the reliability of your supporters?
Prabowo Subianto: From the keenness of my supporters, I believe they really feel that our group the actual hope for them. I’m assured they are going to flip up, they really feel they want leaders who can perceive their wants, who wish to combat for them.
I might inform them, use your energy, as soon as each 5 years you’ve gotten the facility in your arms to decide on leaders who will combat for you. For those who vote for me, I’ll defend you and combat for you.
