(Labournews,Singapore )Prabowo Subianto is touted as one of the characters are likely to win the upcoming presidential election meeting with President of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong in Singapore recently. Prabowo visit Singapore for a few days to speak at various forums in the neighboring country.
Prabowo Subianto arrival in Singapore provides a unique and valuable opportunity for the people of Indonesia in Singapore to watch the lectures on the theme “Indonesia Facing the Future: Challenges for the Next 20 Years” (August 1, 2012). The event was organized by S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is a positive response, both from the people of Indonesia as well as non-Indonesia, Singapore. The high enthusiasm of the spectators fully visible from the public came to this lecture. In fact, many of which application for registration was rejected because the quota has been exhausted.
“In front of our overseas students, academics, analysts, and media partners from around the world, I will lay out major challenges we face as a nation of Indonesia in the next 20 years. For example, the challenge to make energy security, food security, and strong government. Indonesia is strong, with energy and food resources are abundant, is a boon not only for the people of Indonesia itself, but for Asia and the whole world. it is possible, but we as a nation have to work hard, and united against various parties attempt to break up the Republic of Indonesia.
A day after a public lecture held (August 2, 2012), IPA correspondent and Indonesian Students Association (PPI) in Singapore had the opportunity to attend a dinner with Prabowo Subianto at the Raffles Hotel, Singapore. In a dinner once this dialog, Prabowo, who also serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), give some advice as well as answer critical questions posed by students.
Prabowo in his dinner dialogue reminding Indonesian students in Singapore to be ever grateful for the opportunity given to them so they can study abroad. He also reminded the students to balance between IQ and EQ, expanding the network and jaunty, and distance themselves from the dangers of narcotics and illegal drugs. “Prabowo Said when I was in the military, I’m the type of people who are not so concerned with the outlook of people towards me. As long as I can do a good job, I do not care want people to like or dislike me. Now, I regret that due to the fact that networking is very important. As the saying goes: a thousand friends are too few, one enemy is too many, “said the former Commander of the Army Strategic Reserve Command Of Indonesia Militery
Responding to questions raised about the overseas student nationalism, idealism, and loyalty, Prabowo explained that for him, it has many types of nationalism, did not have to always go back to Indonesia. In fact, working five to six years abroad it is something good in his view. Related matter of loyalty, he admitted that loyalty is very important and should always be maintained, unless the employer we have started to lead to negative things. “I love that movie, kung fu and samurai movies. In such films, very strong sense of loyalty to his characters to his teacher, boss, classmate and so forth. Yes, unless you have a negative direction, you want to be a mafia, so hard, “he said with a laugh.
in a conversation Thursday night, Prabowo also answered many questions from sutudent to emphasize the importance of clean government as a solution to these questions, ranging from solutions to foster a healthy climate and clean competition among the entrepreneurs and to create an Indonesia that can guarantee the security of its citizens. “Everything is back again to clean government. If a clean government, clean businessmen who do not have to worry about losing the bid from rival close to the government. Actually, corruption is not just happening in Indonesia anyway, the strangers were much like this, “he explained. “For the problem of security, good governance is also important. Raise the salaries of law enforcement elements. If the salary is small, might not protect, but even those who later took the opportunity to seek additional money. “Then how can we know where the people are clean and which ones are not? Prabowo to this question emphasizes the importance of the role of technology, particularly internet and social media today.
“The mass media can be manipulated. But the internet? We have a Facebook, Twitter, and so forth. Who can close this internet? Who also can monitor one by one account Facebook and Twitter this? We must be willing to try, learn from social media on the internet is about the credibility of a candidate. So, if we think that there are not good candidates all, so do not give up. If you give up and do not even want to use your voting rights, voting rights later no-man’s voice could be misused other parties. My advice, try the discussion had with people you trust, the more wise. I hope these young people, hopefully we can start the change of generation you are, “said the man was born October 17, 1951.
When asked about whether Indonesia would follow the example of reform that occurred in China during the past 30 years and the response of businessmen in Indonesia, Prabowo admitted he is often labeled as a socialist when in reality it is not. “My goal is to become Deng Xiaoping was Indonesia. China is actually a real example that combines the best things of capitalism and socialism. He was open to trade, but there is still strong government role. That’s what we need examples. I am not anti-business, I am also a businessman .However, it’s good that the state banks have often extend credit to people buying foreign cars and motorcycle production, is now changing its focus to advocate for local entrepreneurs. “
Prabowo also exemplifies the perfume business. According to him, this perfume is one of the commodities of potential to be developed in Indonesia and sold abroad, especially considering that Indonesia is rich in various kinds of flowers and essential oils that can be used as raw material for making perfume. “As I mentioned in my lecture, I would like to carry big push strategy, in the sense that we focus on some of the sectors to be encouraged and developed. I believe, in the future Indonesia could match China’s economic growth record, which is about 12-13% per year “, said Prabowo of his analysis in economics.
While Indonesia has rebounded from the near-chaos of the late 1990s to be one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, Prabowo is now a successful businessman and the popular head of a political party.
Opinion polls show him as the leading candidate for the 2014 presidential election, although he himself says a lot can happen before then.
Analysts say his often blunt views on the need for strong leadership and pro-poor and pro-farmer policies have gone down well with the people, for whom the events of 1998 do not matter that much anymore.
“I was a soldier,” Prabowo said, describing that period.
As a soldier, one does not think too much about politics or political correctness or human communications. Maybe my communication was not good enough.”
A 60-year-old with the square build of the special forces commander he once was, Prabowo said he is still refused a U.S. visa because of the allegations he was involved in violence at that time. He is now divorced from Suharto’s daughter, with whom he has a 28-year-old son.
Asked about the coup charges leveled by Habibie, who took over as Indonesia’s president after Suharto, Prabowo said: “That is part of political jockeying, disinformation. I was just a straight soldier.
“I proved by my actions. Did I take over? Did I carry out a coup d’etat? History speaks for itself.”
Asked if could have taken power if he wished, he said: “Yes of course. Why not?”
Prabowo, in Singapore to deliver a lecture on the future of Indonesia, separately told reporters: “Despite controlling nearly one half of Indonesia’s combat units, I stepped down after being asked to step down by the political power.
“Because I am a constitutionalist. As an officer and a soldier, I swore an oath to serve the Republic of Indonesia. I kept my honor, I kept my oath.”
With the no-nonsense style of a former general, Prabowo’s possible ascent to power is being looked on nervously from several quarters. Investors worry he will bring in protectionist policies and political analysts say his past shows he can easily slip into strong-arm autocratic rule.
“If he won, concerns would arise about the durability of democratization,” says Kevin O’Rourke, a Jakarta-based analyst. “He also advocates an economic agenda that calls for banning rice imports and banning gas exports. He is antagonistic towards investment and market forces.”
Prabowo, the son of one of Indonesia’s most respected economic planners, has said he is not against foreign investment.
“We want foreign investment, but it must be win-win,” he said. “It must be rational, it must be cognizant of local and environmental needs and it must be on a fair and level playing field.”
In his speech, he said the country needed to avoid depletion of its energy and other resources, control population growth, improve governance and bring in structural changes in the economy to benefit the poor and the farmers, who form the majority of Indonesia’s 240 million people.
The country was once Asia’s only member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) but left the group and is now a net importer, although it has vast natural gas reserves and has some of the world’s largest coal deposits.
Prabowo’s focus was, however, on agriculture, and he advocated using bio-fuels to back up fossil fuel reserves.
“Sixty percent of our population live on agriculture and are allocated three percent of the national budget in 2012,” he said.
“This is not viable. This is not wise, this a formula for misery, for unrest. This will degrade social harmony. This is what we have to have the courage to address.”
Prabowo is also feared by some of Indonesia’s ethnic Chinese minority, who control much of the country’s $1 trillion economy and were targeted in the 1998 mayhem that was orchestrated by thugs believed to be organized by special forces soldiers.
“I am very committed to a united Indonesia regardless of race, religion and background,” he said in response to a question on his policy towards the ethnic Chinese.
“My political party has a lot of members from many, many backgrounds and races. We have a lot of Chinese members but of course most of them are middle class and poor Chinese. We don’t think about race in our party.”
NOT A SOCIALIST
But Prabowo said government should re-focus spending away from the cities and the elite.
He said he did not wish to criticize President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, with whom he graduated from Indonesia’s military academy, but added that economic managers had blindly adopted Western economic policies in his tenure. Yudhoyono has served two terms as president and cannot run again.
Prabowo, who contested the vice-presidency in 2009 but was defeated by Yudhoyono and his running mate, said he was not a socialist but added that government could not take a hands-off stand.
“In Indonesia, we cannot have a laissez faire approach to our problems. I am of the conviction that a government must intervene to protect the very poor and the very weak, to stimulate growth.
“In sectors where the private sector is very strong, let the private sector carry on.”
Ultimately, Prabowo said, what was needed was a strong government.
“There are always leaders and people who will look for reasons not to try anything new. But the Indonesian leadership must have the will, the toughness, the character, the courage, to think and try to look for creative solutions.
“I was brought up with the motto ‘who dares, wins’ and I think it is time for the Indonesian elite to dare.”
