Indonesia election 2024: Anies, Ganjar attack Prabowo over defence, China policies in third presidential debate

Presidential hopefuls Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo criticised Prabowo Subianto’s performance as defence minister, including a deal to buy used fighter jets

Analysts said while none of the three candidates stood out, Anies displayed the most ‘strategic vision’ while Prabowo was constantly on the back foot

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Candidates at the third presidential debate on January 7. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 3:15pm, 8 Jan 2024Updated: 5:24pm, 8 Jan 2024

Indonesia’s three presidential candidates sparred for the third time in a debate on Sunday night about defence, international relations and geopolitics – with the country’s economic dependency on China and the South China Sea conflict looming large in the background.

Having helmed the defence portfolio for the past five years, Prabowo Subianto should have had the upper hand but analysts said the presidential front runner spent an outsize amount of his time deflecting attacks from his rivals, former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan and former Central Java governor Ganjar Pranowo.

The latter two criticised Prabowo’s decisions, including his ministry’s bid to buy 12 Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets for US$801.6 million, that were previously used by Qatar – a deal that was abandoned last week due to sufficient state funds.

“Frankly, my impression of all three’s performances were a bit disappointing. Anies seems to have a stronger strategic vision, while Ganjar has some good ideas but not much strategic policy framing. Prabowo is too defensive about the policies he has implemented so far, and that makes his answers not satisfactory enough,” said Ahmad Rizky Umar, lecturer at the School of Political Science and International Studies at Australia’s University of Queensland.

Anies Baswedan took aim at Prabowo Subianto’s purported wealth in the third debate on January 7. Photo: AFP

Just four minutes into the debate, Anies took aim at the defence ministry’s decision “to buy used defence equipment” with its budget of 700 trillion rupiah (US$45 billion). He also criticised Prabowo’s purported wealth.