PowerNetizen.com – Prabowo Subianto is a well-known figure in Indonesia, a name prominent in both the political and military arenas. Not only has he “dominated” these fields, but he has also contributed significantly to important national efforts, including economic reforms and advancements for the nation.
Retired General H. Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo was born on October 17, 1951, as the third child and first son of Soemitro Djojohadikusumo, an economist and politician from Kebumen, Central Java. His father was a renowned economist and a member of the Indonesian Socialist Party, recently serving as the Minister of Industry in the Natsir Cabinet in April 1952. Prabowo’s mother, Dora Marie Sigar, known as Dora Soemitro, was a Minahasan Protestant from Langowan, North Sulawesi.
Shortly after Prabowo’s birth, his father Soemitro was reappointed as Minister of Finance in the Wilopo Cabinet. Prabowo has two older sisters, Biantiningsih Miderawati and Maryani Ekowati, and a younger brother, Hashim Djojohadikusumo. Prabowo is also the grandson of Margono Djojohadikusumo, a founder of Bank Negara Indonesia and the first Chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council.
The Djojohadikusumo family is descended from Raden Tumenggung Kertanegara, a commander of Prince Diponegoro’s forces. Prabowo’s name was taken from his uncle, Captain Soebianto Djojohadikusumo, an officer of the People’s Security Army who died in the Battle of Lengkong in January 1964 in Tangerang.
Prabowo spent much of his childhood abroad, especially after his father was involved in opposition to President Soekarno through the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia in West Sumatra. He completed his secondary education at Victoria Institution in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Zurich International School in Zurich, Switzerland; and The American School in London, England. After the fall of Soekarno and the rise of Soeharto, Prabowo’s family returned to Indonesia, and Prabowo entered the Military Academy in Magelang, Central Java.
In May 1983, Prabowo married Siti Hediati Hariyadi, the daughter of President Soeharto and Tien Soeharto. The couple had one son, Ragowo Hediprasetyo, or Didiet. However, their marriage ended shortly after the fall of the New Order in 1998. Their son Didiet was raised in Boston, USA, and became a Paris-based designer.
Prabowo Subianto’s Business Career
After leaving the military, Prabowo joined his brother in business ventures. He leads and owns 27 companies in Indonesia and abroad, including PT Tidar Kerinci Agung, a palm oil production company, PT Nusantara Energy, which focuses on oil and gas, mining, agriculture, forestry, and pulp, and PT Jaladri Nusantara in the fishing industry.
He began his business career by acquiring Kiani Kertas, a paper mill located in Mangkajang, East Kalimantan, previously owned by businessman Bob Hasan, who had close ties to President Soeharto. Prabowo acquired Kiani Kertas through a loan of Rp. 1.8 trillion and renamed it Kertas Nusantara. His Nusantara Group oversees 27 companies domestically and internationally, with businesses spanning plantations, mining, palm oil, and coal.
In 2011, it was reported that PT Kertas Nusantara had 161 creditors, comprising 136 concurrent creditors, 18 preferential creditors, and 7 secured creditors, with total debt verified by the Business Competition Supervisory Commission amounting to Rp. 14.31 trillion. On June 9, 2011, the Central Jakarta Commercial Court ordered PT Kertas Nusantara to pay Rp. 142 billion to PT Multi Alphabet, a creditor, within 45 days, or face potential bankruptcy. By July 22, 2011, PT Kertas Nusantara avoided bankruptcy after 89% of creditors agreed to extend the repayment period.
On January 20, 2015, PT Kertas Nusantara faced further issues as 600 employees protested for unpaid wages of five months. The company management denied the allegations, stating that unpaid wages had been settled by March 2014, and attributed the situation to financial challenges due to reduced factory operations in mid-2013.
Now, Prabowo Subianto has been elected as the 27th President of the Republic of Indonesia, serving the 2024-2029 term. The Indonesian people look forward to positive changes under President Prabowo Subianto’s leadership.
Written by: Budi Gunawan
