Indonesia’s Prabowo awarded four-star general military rank

Suporters gather around Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto as he claims victory after unofficial vote counts during an event to watch the results of the general election in Jakarta, Indonesia, February 14, 2024. REUTERS

JAKARTA — Indonesia’s outgoing president on Wednesday awarded Prabowo Subianto, his presumed successor and an ex-special forces commander, the rank of honorary four-star general.

Defense Minister Prabowo swept the Feb. 14 election to replace President Joko Widodo with nearly 60% of votes, according to unofficial vote tallies and an ongoing preliminary count by the national poll body.

Prabowo, who was honorably discharged from the military amid allegations of human rights abuses in 1998, is only the seventh person to receive the title of a four-star honorary general after the end of strongman Suharto’s rule in the same year.

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Prabowo has denied the allegations.

President Joko Widodo, who is set to leave office in October, handed the distinction to him at an event with the country’s military and police in Jakarta.

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“This honor is a form of appreciation and reaffirmation to fully devote oneself to the people and to the country. I’d like to say congratulations to General Prabowo Subianto,” he said.