Will Indonesia elect a new would-be fascist leader?

Prabowo, a new leader - a new iron fist?
Aboeprijadi Santoso

Of late Prabowo Subianto, an ex general and former Soeharto's son in law, was often mentioned as a new upcoming leader. Like many concerned journalists in Jakarta , I have been watching and met with him recently. Many said he is a dangerous man. A militarist in blood and spirit, a temperamental soldier, obsessed with the kind of militaristic patriotism and unitarism, an admirer of Singapore 's authoritarian Lee Kuan Yew are among characters many apportioned to him. He claims to be a critic of New Order's economy, but impressed by the kind of capitalistic economy Lee built in Singapore .

Prabowo is said to have cleverly manipulated his worst human rights records in such a way as to make him the one the public is expected to feel sorry with him. He built an image of a man who continued to be victimized ("dizholimi" ). Remember: that image had helped Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, having been accused by Megawati's husband Taufik Kiemas as being "childish", win the presidential elections in 2004. So Prabowo claimed to be a victim of both Soeharto and Habibie regimes for being accused of a "traitor", "maverick", "putchist". The latter two have been strongly suggested by ret. gen. Sintong Panjaitan's most recent book.

At a JFFC (Jakarta Foreign Correspondents Club) meeting in Jakarta recently, Prabowo even put himself as a "victim of ABRI (Indonesian Armed Forces)". "East Timor was not my choice, I was assigned there, .. what can I do?" he said. In fact, as often mentioned (see below), he was responsible for the 1983 Kraras (see: http://www.etan. org/et2001b/ april/22- 30/26torur. htm) and 1991 St. Cruz massacres where hundreds of Timorese civilians were killed. He is also proud for the fact that three of more than a dozen activists he kidnapped, are joining his political party, Gerindra.

This military unitarist (NKRI-ist) named Prabowo is now a popular general. He succesfully approached the families of Indonesia 's Founding Fathers who had very different ideas of Indonesia 's unity. Soekarno's daughter Megawati likes him (many feel sorry for her supidity), Hatta's daughters (Meutia & Halida) like him too, even Gus Dur and his intelligent daughter Yenny Wahid admire him. Only Sutan Sjahrir's family refused to support him. The newsweekly TEMPO has destroyed the image Prabowo attempted to build by demonstrating that Sjahrir never supported Soemitro (Prabowo's father) joining the PRRI rebellion and that Soemitro was a CIA political broker.

Many spoke about him with awe. Nonetheless, it's true, Prabowo is charismatic, he made impressive elections campaigns, attracted many (lower) middle class and urban poor with the kind of natonalistic economic rhetorics more at home to what we in Europe would call "right-wing populists".

"This is my second mission," he said at JFCC meeting,"My first was as a general commanding 34 batallions (as Pangkostrad) ." So how would he accomplish it?

Is Indonesia awaiting a new leader - a would-be fascist?