The US presidential election is understandably commanding enormous attention, but this week marks a significant new chapter in the world’s third-largest democracy and fourth-most populous country, Indonesia, where the presidency of Prabowo Subianto was inaugurated on Sunday. We may soon be hearing rather more of his country.
Mr Prabowo will probably sit comfortably in office. A former special forces general during the 30-year-rule of his then father-in-law, Suharto, Mr Prabowo stood for the vice presidency once and the presidency twice before winning election in January this year. He served as defence minister since 2019 as part of the cabinet of his erstwhile opponent, Joko Widodo, who was considered to have implicitly endorsed his successor during the presidential contest, not least because Mr Joko’s elder son was Mr Prabowo’s running mate.
When I saw him being interviewed on stage in Doha in May, Mr Prabowo already had the air and confidence of a seasoned leader. And it was apt that it should have been in an international setting, for as his new Minister of Cultural Affairs, Fadli Zon, says: “Prabowo will be a foreign policy president and have a hands-on approach in dealing with foreign policy matters.”
Mr Prabowo’s predecessor-but-one, Susilo Bangbang Yudhoyono, made a similar prediction in June, posting on X in Indonesian: “Pak Prabowo, ‘you are on the right track’ and have become a ‘foreign policy president’. Good luck and carry on!” He praised Mr Prabowo’s speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s pre-eminent security conference, as “strong and also beautiful”.
Mr Joko never attended the UN General Assembly, and mostly left diplomacy to his foreign minister, Retno Marsudi. By contrast, Mr Prabowo has visited more than 20 countries since being elected this year, meeting leaders including President Sheikh Mohamed, China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, France’s Emmanuel Macron and the heads of five governments within the Association of South-East Asian Nations.
Maybe it is time for Indonesia to take a more prominent role in international affairs. If so, cometh the hour, cometh the man?
It’s natural that Mr Prabowo feels at ease abroad: for most of his childhood, his family were living overseas, and he speaks French, German, English and Dutch. But wearing the mantle of an international statesman also appears to be second nature to him.
In June last year, he surprised his own government when he put forward a four-point proposal to end the war in Ukraine. He did so, he explained in an interview in January, because “the Global South is suffering disproportionately from the effects of this war even though it has nothing to do with it, and can in no way change what is happening”.
Indonesia, he said, needed “to play a more assertive role in shaping geopolitical events”. Pointing out that his country had been one of the founders of the Non-Aligned Movement in 1961, Mr Prabowo said “advocating in favour of the Global South and developing nations, advocating for a world system that does not favour the developed North at the expense of the Global South, is in the DNA of our foreign policy”.
That may well be true. The change is that with Mr Prabowo, Indonesia may not have had a leader who is so ready to take a place on the world stage since its founding president, Sukarno. Earlier this year, he said: “It is only natural that as Indonesia develops, as it grows, it must assume the new responsibilities that come with its position as an emerging power.”
This, I would argue, is something that should be welcomed. Indonesia has a population of nearly 300 million people, it is the world’s largest Muslim state, it is already the world’s eighth-largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, and many consider it to be on the cusp of a remarkable economic transformation. It’s a plural, vibrant, multi-ethnic society, with a wealth of culture and a long tradition of moderation.
Maybe it is time for Indonesia to take a more prominent role in international affairs. If so, cometh the hour, cometh the man?
I would say so. For Mr Prabowo’s plan for Ukraine dealt with the reality of what appears to be a terrible, intractable stalemate. He is firm about the need for the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands to end. He is equally firm that Indonesia wants to continue to have “excellent relations” and maintain “important partnerships” with both China and the US.
“What I will not do as president is align Indonesia to one or the other. Indonesia is too big to be aligned to any other country. Indonesia can only be aligned to Indonesia’s best interest,” he said. There are many countries that would like to do and say exactly the same. They will be pleased if Indonesia, as a more assertive middle power under Mr Prabowo, provides them with a lead to follow.
There will be plenty of challenges at home, not least fulfilling Mr Prabowo’s aim of reaching annual growth of 8 per cent. But the self-styled “continuity” candidate has reassured markets by retaining many of his predecessor’s ministers, most notably Sri Mulyani Indrawati, the country’s highly regarded finance minister.
And in reference to the allegations of human rights abuses relating to his time in the military – which organisations such as the BBC never stop claiming “have dogged him for decades” – Mr Prabowo has apologised to two former democracy activists from the late 1990s. He has also appointed one of them, Budiman Sujatmiko, to a key role as head of the Poverty Alleviation Acceleration Agency.
“We have both moved to the middle,” said the one-time fiery radical, Mr Budiman. He also dismissed western sniping at Mr Prabowo. “Developed countries don’t like leaders from developing countries who are brave, firm and strategic.”
I remember meeting Mr Budiman, and the new culture minister, Mr Fadli, in Jakarta 15 years ago. Who would have thought then that their time would come together, with the elevation of Mr Prabowo – who many then considered to be a tempestuous former general – to the presidency?
Perhaps the new leader has been following the saying he is fond of quoting: “A thousand friends are too few, one enemy is too many.” If Mr Prabowo can manage to keep to that, both at home and abroad, many may be glad if the “sleeping giant” of South-East Asia is beginning to awaken.
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
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Avatar%20(2009)
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POWERWASH%20SIMULATOR
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
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OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
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The 10 Questions
- Is there a God?
- How did it all begin?
- What is inside a black hole?
- Can we predict the future?
- Is time travel possible?
- Will we survive on Earth?
- Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
- Should we colonise space?
- Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
- How do we shape the future?
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
The squad traveling to Brazil:
Faisal Al Ketbi, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Khalfan Humaid Balhol, Khalifa Saeed Al Suwaidi, Mubarak Basharhil, Obaid Salem Al Nuaimi, Saeed Juma Al Mazrouei, Saoud Abdulla Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Yahia Mansour Al Hammadi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Zayed Saif Al Mansoori, Saaid Haj Hamdou, Hamad Saeed Al Nuaimi. Coaches Roberto Lima and Alex Paz.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Brief scores:
Everton 0
Leicester City 1
Vardy 58'
