Prabowo Subianto is an Indonesian politician, businessman, and former army lieutenant general, currently serving as the Minister of Defense. He is also known as the son-in-law of former Indonesian president Suharto.
Bio/Wiki
Age-72 years
Full name- Rabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo
Height-N/A
Weight-N/A
Born- 17 October 1951
Birthplace-Jakarta, Indonesia
Spouse- Siti Hediati Hariyadi (m. 1983–1998)
Profession-Politician
Nationality- Indonesian
Family
His parents are Sumitro Djojohadikusumo and Dora Maria Sigar. His father, Sumitro Djojohadikusumo, was an economist who served as former President Suharto’s minister for the economy and minister for research and technology.
Sibling
Sumitro named Prabowo after his own younger brother, a martyr hero who died in a battle against the Japanese in Lengkong, Tangerang during the Indonesian National Revolution. Prabowo Subianto has two older sisters, Bianti Djiwandono, and Maryani Djojohadikusumo. His only brother, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, was a businessman and politician.
Wife
Prabowo Subianto married Siti Hediati Hariyadi in 1983, but they separated in 1998. Siti Hediati Hariyadi has been involved in various activities, including leading the Indonesian Art Foundation and serving as a TV commentator for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. She also acted as a judge on Puteri Indonesia 2014.
Education
Prabowo Subianto graduated from the Indonesian Military Academy in 1970.
Career
In 1970, Prabowo Subianto entered Indonesia’s Military Academy in Magelang, graduating in 1974 alongside future leaders like Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. He commanded special forces during the Kraras massacres in East Timor in 1983 and underwent commando training in the USA in 1985. In 1996, he led the Mapenduma Operation in Papua. On March 20, 1998, he became head of the 27,000-strong Army Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad). After Suharto’s resignation on May 21, 1998, Prabowo’s past was scrutinized during his 2014 presidential bid.
During the December 12, 2023, presidential debate, Prabowo indirectly admitted involvement in the abduction of Budiman Sudjatmiko, later claiming Sudjatmiko supported him. After leaving the military, he joined his brother’s business, acquiring Kiani Kertas, which faced financial challenges, leading to worker protests in 2014. In the 2009 election, Prabowo was the wealthiest candidate. PT Ridlatama, backed by Churchill PLC, obtained mining licenses in eastern Kalimantan, leading to legal disputes. In 2014, the East Kutai regent endorsed Prabowo’s presidential bid and considered legal action against Churchill.
On January 7, 2023, Prabowo launched his presidential campaign with Gibran Rakabuming Raka as his running mate. In November 2023, he called for a “rebalancing” in international relations. Unofficial reports on February 14, 2024, suggested Prabowo led in three voting lines with 58% of the vote, prompting concerns about Indonesia’s democracy and climate change crises.
Controversies
In November 2017, an investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalism implicated him in the “Paradise Papers” allegations, listing his name among politicians scrutinized.
On September 18, 2017, during the launch of a book discussing his father’s political economy theory, Prabowo Subianto delivered a speech expressing concerns about Indonesia potentially disintegrating by 2030. He referenced unspecified studies suggesting Indonesia’s demise. However, it was later revealed that the “studies” were actually based on a science-fiction novel called Ghost Fleet, authored by August Cole and P. W. Singer in 2015. Singer, bemused by Prabowo’s citation of the book, commented on Twitter about the unexpected turn of events.
In late 2018, Prabowo Subianto faced criticism for mistakenly identifying Haiti, a Caribbean republic, as an African nation. During a speech on December 23, 2018, in Solo, Central Java, he expressed concerns about Indonesia’s wealth being transferred abroad, comparing its potential impoverishment to African nations like Rwanda and Haiti, as well as obscure islands like Kiribati.
On January 17, 2019, during the first debate for Indonesia’s April 2019 presidential election, Prabowo Subianto suggested that certain Indonesian governors deserved higher salaries based on the size of their provinces. He cited Central Java as an example, mistakenly claiming it had a larger population than Malaysia. However, media reports highlighted the factual error, noting the vast difference in land area between Central Java and Malaysia. Following the scrutiny, Prabowo’s campaign team clarified that he was referring to population figures, not land area.
During the same debate, Prabowo asserted that terrorist attacks in Indonesia were linked to poverty and perpetrated by non-Muslims disguised as Muslims, orchestrated by foreign entities. However, media outlets countered these claims, citing instances where Indonesian terrorists were not impoverished and were not under foreign influence.
Net Worth
Prabowo Subianto’s estimated net worth is approximately 160 million.
