October 21, 2024
JAKARTA – Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka took their oaths of office on Sunday as President and Vice President for the 2024-2029 term in a session of the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) in Jakarta.
MPR Speaker Ahmad Muzani of Prabowo’s Gerindra Party said before the ceremony that the swearing-in procedure would follow Article 9 of the 1945 Constitution.
Prabowo, who was wearing a black beskap (tradition formal suit) was inaugurated first, reciting the oath of office as religious figures stood behind him holding a Quran over his head.
“I swear by God to fulfill the duties of president of the Republic of Indonesia to the best of my capabilities and in the fairest way possible, to uphold the Constitution by all means and to execute all laws and regulations as straightforwardly as possible, as well as to dedicate myself to the service of the nation and the people,” Prabowo said.
Gibran, clad in a similar black beskap, then read his oath, accepting his duties as Vice President.
Sunday’s inauguration marked the start of Prabowo’s presidency, following his landslide win in February’s presidential election, his third attempt after losing twice to his predecessor, former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, in 2014 and 2019.
In attendance at the ceremony were former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Jokowi and former vice president Ma’ruf Amin, as well as several foreign dignitaries, including Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and United States Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
Most of Prabowo’s rivals in February’s presidential election, including former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan and his running mate Muhaimin Iskandar, as well as unsuccessful presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo, also attended the ceremony at the Senayan legislative complex.
Notably absent were Mahfud MD, who ran alongside Ganjar, and former president Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Megawati, who also chairs the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), which backed the Ganjar-Mahfud ticket, could not be present at the Sunday ceremony having caught a cold, said party secretary-general Hasto Kristiyanto.
The party matron sent her daughter, party executive and House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani, on her behalf.
According to the KPU’s official count, the Prabowo-Gibran ticket took 58 percent of the vote in February.