Indonesia Prez Widodo names election rival Subianto defense minister

Indonesian President Joko Widodo chose his election rival Prabowo Subianto as his defense minister on October 23. Subianto was the opposition leader in Widodo's first term who was defeated and served as a former general linked to human rights abuses. Widodo had to face a bitter campaign plagued by online fake news and claims from Subianto that the government staged a massive, systematic and fraudulent election. On Wednesday, he added a total of 34 entrepreneurs and technocrats to his Cabinet to address slowing growth in the country. The ministers also include politicians from Widodo’s governing coalition who supported his victory in the April election. 

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Widodo's address at Presidential Palace

The 58-year-old sworn in as President on October 20 for his second and final five-year term. He reportedly pledged to champion democracy and take bolder actions against poverty and establsied corruption in Indonesia. Widodo asked his Cabinet and institutional heads to fight graft by creating a system to close off any chances of corruption. Speaking on the appointment of the new Defense Minister, the President said that he knows his job well.

“Don’t be corrupt! Be serious at work, and for those who are not serious, I would take them out of this (Cabinet),” Widodo warned.

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Subianto earlier did not agree on election results

The statement comes as violent protests have threatened the credibility of Widodo, who was re-elected after campaigning for clean governance. The protests were against a law that they claim has crippled the country’s anti-corruption agency, which underlines the challenge in fighting graft. The country ranks 89 in the 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International. Widodo said Indonesians should unite and that he and his defeated rival met in July for the first time since the April vote. He added that Subianto had been negotiating for Cabinet positions, signaling a calming of tensions. Subianto refused to accept the election results initially. Nine people also died in riots after the elections. The Indonesian top court found no substance to his allegations of a fraudulent election and refused to hold a re-election. 

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Human Rights activists unhappy about Subianto being Defense minister

Widodo and Subainto have appeared together in a series of apparently friendly public meetings. The President also described the rival as a good friend over social media. Prabowo Subianto is the founder and leader of the Gerindra political party. Human Rights activists see Subianto’s appointment as a conservative backlash against Widodo’s efforts to address Indonesia’s poor human rights record. The opposition leader has a history of alleged abuses during the authoritarian rule of longtime President Suharto, and he has allied himself politically with groups that want Islamic rather than secular law to prevail in Indonesia. The majority of his votes came from conservative provinces, but mainstream Muslim organizations and minority voters backed Widodo, who secured 55.5% of the vote in the official results.

Andreas Harsono, Indonesia’s researcher at Human Rights Watch, said, “It’s a dark day for human rights and justice in Indonesia". 

(With inputs from agencies)

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