Indonesia's new leader expands military's role in test of fragile democracy
JAKARTA — Nearly three decades after the fall of Indonesia's authoritarian leader, General Suharto, the nation's new president is causing unease among liberals and others by increasingly turning to the once-all-powerful military to carry out his governing vision.
Critics of President Prabowo Subianto point to the former defence minister's early actions as a worrying sign of his tendency to replace civilian functions with the military, raising comparisons to a Suharto-era doctrine called "dwifungsi" (dual function) that allowed the armed forces to crush dissent and dominate public life.
Just three months into office after sweeping to a landslide election victory last year, Prabowo has quickly expanded the armed forces' roles in several public areas — including running much of his flagship project to serve free school meals.
His allies in parliament are also preparing legislation that would allow Prabowo to appoint active military officers into senior government positions, dismantling some of the safeguards put in place after Suharto was overthrown in 1998 following an economic crisis and popular uprising.
Prabowo's resounding victory in last year's election was largely driven by younger voters, polls showed, a generation with little or no memory of Suharto's military-backed "New Order" regime.
A former son-in-law of Suharto, Prabowo was a special forces commander under his repressive 32-year reign and was later dismissed from the military amid unproven allegations of human rights abuses.
Supporters of Prabowo, who has denied past rights abuses, say tapping the military for important projects offers efficiencies.
But critics see in Prabowo's moves, including a recent expansion of military command structure, a worrying