
Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo on Wednesday awarded the country’s defence minister and presumptive president-elect, Prabowo Subianto, the honorary rank of four-star general, a move critics blasted as “vulgar political manoeuvring” and a betrayal of the victims of human rights abuses.
The outgoing leader said during the ceremony at the National Armed Forces’ headquarters in Jakarta that he was bestowing the honour as “a form of appreciation as well as confirmation of [Prabowo’s] complete devotion to the people, nation and state”.