By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
JAKARTA (Worthy News) – Evangelical Christians said Wednesday they were pleased that Prabowo Subianto claimed victory in Indonesia’s presidential elections despite his past as a military chief during the Suharto dictatorship a generation ago.
Several pastors and a home church leader told Worthy News about 70 percent of Christian voters chose Subianto amid fears that a radical Islamic candidate would become the leader of the world’s most populous Muslim nation.
“We choose Prabowo Subianto as he has a Christian background. He also does not reject Israel like his Muslim contender Ganjar Pranowo, the candidate of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle,” said Victoria, an organizer of a home church that prays for Israel.
Last year, Pranowo, then Central Java province governor, and the governor of Bali called for a boycott of Israel’s participation in the Under–20 World Cup that was to be played on the island.
Soccer’s governing body, FIFA, removed Indonesia as the tournament’s host over the political turmoil, leaving local fans dismayed.
Indonesia and Israel do not have formal diplomatic relations, and support for Palestinians is high in Central Asia’s largest economy.
Victoria hopes that under Prabowo Subianto, relations will improve with Israel. “We have to bless Israel. The Bible says in Numbers 24:9: ‘May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!’. Secondly, Israel was a nation accompanied by God.”
EX-JAKARTA GOVERNOR
She also refers to ex-Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, who is running as an independent candidate. He has strong links with Islamic political groups, and his vice-presidential pick, Muhaimin Iskandar, is the leader of Indonesia’s largest Muslim political party, the National Awakening Party.
Anies was the former governor of Jakarta, a position he won in 2017 after accusing his leading contender – an ethnic Chinese Christian, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, better known as “Ahok” – of blasphemy.
Pastors of the Gereja Bethel Indonesia (GBI) and Gereja Pantekosta di Indonesia (GLdI), the leading Pentecostal churches in the country, who spoke to Worthy News know that election winner Subianto, allegedly oversaw human rights abuses and disappearances.
However, the military man, who denies the charges, was still projected to win the first election round outright with some 60 percent of the votes. But Christians told Worthy News that voters outside their hometowns were not allowed to cast ballots even after showing their identity papers.
It was unclear how much that impacted the outcome. And on Wednesday, Subianto told the crowds that young voters had been a crucial part of his support base in these elections. More than half of Indonesia’s 205 million voters are aged below 40, prompting his campaign team to focus on social media to reach the young.
The 72-year-old presented himself as a ‘cuddly grandpa’ and can be seen doing his signature dance move, both on stage and in several videos on social media channel TikTok.
His success was also linked to his picking outgoing President Widodo’s eldest son, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, as his running mate.
WIDODO POPULARITY
Analysts said Subianto’s chances were helped by Widodo’s popularity and support, as well as younger Indonesians — more than half of nearly 205 million eligible voters — who did not come of age under Suharto.
He has also tried to distance himself from the 1997 and 1998 kidnappings of activists when he led the elite army force known as Kopassus, used by Jakarta for operations aimed at ending internal unrest.
More than a dozen activists remain missing and feared dead, and witnesses accuse his military unit of committing atrocities in East Timor, Worthy News learned.
He was dismissed from the military in 1998 over the abductions but was never charged and went into voluntary exile in Jordan.
After he returned several years later, he launched a business career with interests in palm oil and energy before jumping into politics.
Indonesian ally, the United States, once refused a visa over his rights record, and he was also reportedly included on a visa blacklist in Australia before the 2014 election.
But he has since been allowed to visit Canberra and Washington and has, in turn, hosted his American and Australian counterparts.
RELIGIOUS TENSIONS
Realizing ethnic and religious tensions in the nation, he stressed: “We will fight to bring prosperity for all people of Indonesia. We will continue what was already being built by previous presidents.”
Representatives of Christians, who comprise about 12 percent of the country’s population, hope he will reach out to them.
The primary hotbed of persecution in Indonesia is the Aceh Province, the only province that is governed by Sharia (Islamic law), Christians told Worthy News.
“Building new churches is difficult there, and converts from Islam face the most pressure of any other place in the country,” explained advocacy group Open Doors explained.
“A recent decision by the legislature has also stoked fears that Sharia could eventually be adopted in the province of West Sumatra,” it added.
In recent years, there have been several deadly attacks against churches, and several Christians have been jailed or otherwise targeted for alleged blasphemy against Islam.
“We pray for Indonesia that life will improve under a new president,” Victoria said.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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