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.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
SPECS
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A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHakbah%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENaif%20AbuSaida%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaudi%20Arabia%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E22%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24200%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epre-Series%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGlobal%20Ventures%20and%20Aditum%20Investment%20Management%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
The five pillars of Islam
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Rashid & Rajab
Director: Mohammed Saeed Harib
Stars: Shadi Alfons, Marwan Abdullah, Doaa Mostafa Ragab
Two stars out of five
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
The%20specs
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
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In numbers
Number of Chinese tourists coming to UAE in 2017 was... 1.3m
Alibaba’s new ‘Tech Town’ in Dubai is worth... $600m
China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn
The world’s most valuable start-up in 2018, TikTok, is valued at... $75bn
Boost to the UAE economy of 5G connectivity will be... $269bn
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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The Penguin
Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz
Creator: Lauren LeFranc
Rating: 4/5
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
SHAITTAN
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVikas%20Bahl%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAjay%20Devgn%2C%20R.%20Madhavan%2C%20Jyothika%2C%20Janaki%20Bodiwala%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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Contracted list
Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
