From sinister special forces soldier to cuddly dancing grandpa: Prabowo Subianto’s transformation is a testament to the malleability of public image. It helped him towards a decisive victory in Indonesia’s presidential election on Wednesday. With sample ballot results suggesting he has won an outright majority, Prabowo will avoid the need for a run-off in the summer, and the lengthy period of uncertainty that would have brought.
Prabowo is the clear choice of the Indonesian people and their choice deserves respect. Nevertheless, the former general will take office in the autumn with some doubts to assuage among foreign investors and the international community. Those include his commitment to human rights, following alleged involvement in abuses during Indonesia’s authoritarian past, a populist bent — in contrast to some orthodox economic policies that have served the country well — and the future role of his vice president-elect, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, the son of current president Joko Widodo, widely known as Jokowi.
The historic allegations against Prabowo relate to the abduction and disappearance of activists during the transition to democracy in 1998. They are grave and cannot be conveniently ignored. Prabowo was dismissed from the military and banned from entering the US for two decades. The families of victims deserve truth and justice. Respecting Indonesia’s choice, however, means that these events must be considered in parallel with his presidency. Prabowo is now responsible for his country’s future, not just its past.