Nirmala Maulana Achmad, Diamanty Meiliana, Jakarta – President elect Prabowo Subianto says it's not a problem that he is often condemned and vilified.
Prabowo said that he was once accused of committing makar (treason, subversion, rebellion) and planning a coup d'etat. He has also been accused of violating human rights.
But none of these things are a problem for Prabowo. "I've been accused of wanting to commit makar, a coup d'etat, human rights violations, [but] for me it doesn't matter, it's okay", Prabowo said in a speech at the 6th congress of the National Mandate Party (PAN) at the Kempinski Hotel in Central Jakarta on Saturday August 24.
The General Chairperson of the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) also said that he has given his body and soul to Indonesia.
This is because of Prabowo's military background. He served as the commander of the Army's (TNI AD) Special Forces (Kopassus) and commander of the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad).
"If you recall and look at my actions, I rarely respond to criticisms, insults, ridicule directed at me, vilification. I have put my life on the line for this republic, for my people", said Prabowo.
In the speech, Prabowo also alluded to good people who are often lied to. According to Prabowo, good intentions are important, but are not enough.
"People who have good intentions, people who want to be good, people who are raised by teachers, ustad [Islamic clerics], parents with good values, are often cheated, lied to by cunning people, hypocritical people", Prabowo said.
"People who say one thing, but their hearts are different", said the Défense Minister.
Prabowo also used the occasion to praise PAN which has faithfully supported him since the 2014 election.
Notes
The accusations of treason and a coup d'etat refer to allegations by former president B. J. Habibie that in May 1998, two nights after he was sworn in to replace president Suharto, Prabowo showed up at the Presidential Palace armed and with a squad of Special Forces solders and tried to stage a coup. The accusations of human rights violations refer to the forced disappearance of pro-democracy activists in 1997-98 by a special team from Kopassus. Prabowo has admitted to ordering the abductions but claims they were all released alive and well, although 13 remain missing and are presumed dead. In August 1998 a military tribunal dismissed him from the military over the abductions accusing him of insubordination and disregard for the military code. Earlier, he was indicted for the Kraras massacre in East Timor in 1983 but failed to answer a summons from the UN Special Prosecutor's Office in Dili. A UN-sponsored report on East Timor accused him of commanding massacres that caused the death of as many as 200 Timorese men, accusations that Prabowo denies.
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Prabowo: Saya Dituduh Makar, Kudeta, dan Pelanggar HAM, Tidak Apa-apa...".]
