One Belt and Road Initiative growing stronger

Jakarta. Indonesia’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) is beating other ASEAN countries such as close neighbor Malaysia, according to business analytics firm S&P Global.

As the name suggests, the index portrays a country’s manufacturing performance based on new orders, output, employment, suppliers’ delivery times, and stocks of purchases. Indonesia’s manufacturing PMI went up from 52.2 in December 2023 to 52.9 the following month. This marks the 29th straight month of the Indonesian manufacturing sector’s expansion, which is marked by a reading of over 50.

Indonesia’s manufacturing PMI is higher than other ASEAN members whose PMI has been published so far. While the Philippines’ manufacturing sector expanded at a slower pace of 50.9 in January, it was still the second-best performing ASEAN country. Followed by Vietnam (50.3), Malaysia (49.0), and Thailand (46.7). The conflict-struck Myanmar saw its manufacturing PMI rise from 45.1 in December to 46.7 in January, thus showing that the country’s sector remained in contraction.

As of writing, S&P Global did not publish the January readings for other members of the Southeast Asian bloc. Nonetheless, ASEAN’s manufacturing sector expanded at 50.3 points in January, up from 49.7 the previous month. This is the first time that ASEAN passed the neutral 50.0 threshold in five months.
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Indonesia to Import Chinese Trains Worth Rp 783 Billion

Jakarta. Indonesia recently announced it would import three sets of Chinese trains worth totaling Rp 783 billion or approximately $49.7 million.

KAI Commuter, a subsidiary of the national railway company KAI, signed a cooperation agreement with Chinese railway manufacturer CRRC Sifang in Beijing on Wednesday. This contract is for the purchase of three KCI-SFC120-V-type trains.

“The procurement of such facilities … is to better serve the needs of the commuter line passengers in 2024-2025. Today, the has reached almost 1 million passengers a day,” KAI Commuter president director Asdo Artriviyanto said in a press statement.

Aside from the Chinese trains, KAI Commuter has also inked a deal to buy 16 new trains --worth totaling Rp 3.83 trillion-- from the state-owned rolling stock manufacturer INKA. Asdo added that INKA had also agreed to retrofit 19 trains. The retrofit project costs over Rp 2.23 trillion.

Ex-Russian president warns NATO of ‘Apocalypse’
The West should tell its citizens the “bitter truth” about what would happen if the bloc clashes with Moscow, Dmitry Medvedev says

Writing on Telegram on Wednesday, Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, pushed back against statements by numerous Western leaders urging their countries to prepare for a potential conflict with Moscow.

Russia has repeatedly said it has no plans of staging a conflict with NATO and the EU, he noted, despite the latter continuing “a dangerous drivel” on the issue. He suggested that this narrative is designed to divert the attention of Western voters away from massive spending on aid for Ukraine – an effort he said many have already grown tired of.



(Finally Taiwan see's the light !!
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Kirill Babaev: Here’s why the result of Taiwan’s election is bad news for the US
It will become apparent in the long term that China was the real winner

In 2023, the volume of trade between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait was $268 billion. This means Taipei traded more with its main adversary, Beijing, than with its foremost ally, Washington. And for Chinese business, Taiwan was a more important counterparty than the state’s key strategic partner, Russia.

These facts are important for an understanding of the current relationship between the two parts of China. They are inextricably linked not only by the commonality of language, history, and culture, but also by hundreds of thousands of trade and production contracts. And this may prove to be a decisive factor in the long-term struggle for the island between the great powers.

The elections in Taiwan on January 13 did nothing to change this. On the contrary, apart from pro-American candidate Lai Qingde’s victory (with a far-from-solid 40% of the vote), the parliamentary elections revealed the defeat of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which lost its majority and ten seats in the Legislative Yuan to the conventionally “pro-Chinese” Kuomintang Party.

The outcome has made the island’s power system somewhat unstable, suggesting that the main battle between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan is yet to come. However, the US has only one undeniable advantage in this war – the ability to pump its proxy with weapons and defense systems in anticipation of a violent conflict. China, on the other hand, has far more leverage. Thus, in the coming years, Beijing won’t try to solve the Taiwan problem militarily: on the contrary, it will attempt to turn America’s “Pyrrhic victory” on January 13 into a final US defeat in the next elections on the island.


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Spanish farmers join protests over EU regulations
The agricultural producers joined farmers in several EU states in protest over restrictive red tape
On Tuesday, in what was viewed as a concession by Brussels, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the bloc intends to remove a controversial law designed to reduce the use of pesticides – describing the legislation as a “symbol of polarization.”

Meanwhile, also on Tuesday, the Spanish Agriculture Ministry said it would distribute an additional €269 million ($289 million) of aid to around 140,000 farmers affected by a long-running drought, as well as for market downturns brought on by the conflict in Ukraine.

Last week, Catalonia declared a state of emergency over the three-year drought which has vastly impacted some agricultural production.

In Italy, farmers have also converged ahead of a planned protest in Rome later this week. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has declared her support, though Italian farmers have also expressed concern at government plans to end agricultural-sector tax subsidies.

China, Russia, Iran to hold navy drills aimed at 'regional security'

China will hold joint naval drills with Iran and Russia in the coming weeks, as Iranian-backed Houthi militias and US forces mount strikes and counter-strikes in the Middle East. Iranian and Russian.


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Twin blasts kill 28 on eve of Pakistan general election
Pakistan's elections, which will take place on Thursday, have been tainted by the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Red Sea: UK navy ship HMS Diamond shoots down Houthi drone

Published 28 January
A British war ship has shot down a Houthi drone targeting the vessel in the Red Sea.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement that HMS Diamond had deployed the missile on Saturday, and no injuries or damage were sustained.

The Iran-backed Houthis have been targeting ships they say are linked to Israel and the West that travel through the Red Sea trade route.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said the UK remains "undaunted" by the attacks.




Feb 07, 2024
HMS Richmond has temporarily taken over the protection of maritime trade in the Red Sea as Houthi attacks on shipping lanes continue.

The frigate replaces HMS Diamond, which has used the Sea Viper missile system to intercept drones used by the Yemeni militants several times throughout its deployment in the area.

HMS Diamond will now be rearmed before heading back into action in the Red Sea.

Meanwhile, a British-owned cargo vessel was attacked in the Red Sea shortly after midnight on Tuesday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.

Iran's aid has enabled the Houthis to conduct a campaign of missile and UAV attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea since November 2023, threatening freedom of navigation and international commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways.

The Houthis have demonstrated significant military capabilities, particularly in their use of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These weapons have been deployed against various targets, including Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.17 Jan 2024

Russia Writes Off 20 Billion In Debt To African Countries

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that Russia has written off debts of African states worth more than 20 billion dollars.

Putin's comments came on the occasion of the International Parliamentary Conference "Russia - Africa in a Multipolar World," where the Russian President said that the volume of mutual trade "reached almost $18 billion by the end of last year."

In this regard, the President added that the volume of trade between Russia and African countries will benefit from "the more vigorous transition to national currencies in financial settlements and the establishment of new transport and logistics chains."

On the occasion, Putin said that in case the Black Sea grain agreement is not extended, Russia will supply food to needy African nations free of charge.

"We are convinced that Africa will become one of the leaders of the new emerging multipolar world order," Putin said, and added that the role of the African continent in international affairs is steadily growing.

Russia and African countries, along with many states of Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, "defend the traditional moral norms and social principles of our peoples, and oppose the neocolonial ideology imposed from abroad," the Russian President said, pointing to the global majority stance against neocolonial ideology.

Putin expressed Russia's commitment to work together with Africa "to strengthen fair and equal interstate relations and improve mechanisms of mutually beneficial economic cooperation."
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At the end of February 2024, India will flex its Naval muscle in Milan drills. With an eye on China, an armada of 50 navies will congregate in the strategically vital Bay of Bengal, giving an unequivocal message of ensuring a secure and stable Indo-Pacific in the face of China’s belligerence in the region.
Indian Navy’s twin aircraft carriers (INS Vikramaditya and the INS Vikrant) and foreign submarines will be the stars of the exercise.
Apart from the Quad countries – the US, Japan, and Australia, navies of south-eastern countries will participate in the Milan maritime exercise. India will be deploying its twin aircraft carriers – INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant, for the exercise from February 19 to 27. Besides these, 20 naval warships, maritime patrol aircraft like P-8I, and submarines will be participating in the exercise.

“The sea phase of the naval exercise will involve large-force maneuvers, advanced air defense operations, anti-submarine warfare, and anti-surface operations,” a naval official told the EurAsian Times. This will be the 12th edition of the Milan exercise, and it will be the largest.
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US Ranking ‘Kicks Out’ India Out Of World’s Most Powerful Countries; South Korea Scores Over Japan
It may be the world’s fifth major economy and the fourth most powerful country militarily, but in the overall global power index, India does not figure in the first 10 (ten) countries of the world in 2024 if the rankings as compiled by a US publication are taken into account.
According to “US News and World Report,” India is 12th in the global rankings, behind Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Japan, France, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, China, and the United States.

Many may find this ranking of India behind even the UAE and Saudi Arabia or, for that matter, Japan behind South Korea in power terms in the Indo-Pacific a little surprising. However, it is noteworthy that the US News and World Report recognizes as many as six most powerful countries in Asia, sans India.

China’s Carrier-Based J-15 Fighters, AWACS Conduct ‘Intensive Drills’ As US, Japan ‘Flex Muscles’ In SCS
Against the backdrop of heightened military activities in the Indo-Pacific region, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army – Navy’s (PLAN’s) J-15 carrier-based fighter jets undertook intensive training exercises focused on Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance in conjunction with an early warning aircraft.


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India’s ‘Next-Gen’ BrahMos Cruise Missile, Developed With Russia, To Begin State Trials By 2025

The announcement came when the Indo-Russian joint venture reportedly had US$7 billion worth of orders in its portfolio and was looking for potential customers in the market. “The portfolio of orders of BrahMos has already reached US$7 billion, which includes both Indian and export orders,” Pathak told reporters in a separate interaction.

Good to see you back Rob,hope you're feeling better!

Thanks very much
Seven hour ambulance patient transfer truck ride back, tore major liver operation wound open.
Struggling a bit to get in shape for next operation as I lost 10kg and still dressing that wound but hopefully make it...thanks.

Iraq's Central Bank bars eight local banks from US dollar transactions
Iraqi Central Bank's daily dollar auction allegedly involves corruption and monopoly by certain Iraqi private banks in the interests of certain ruling elites.
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Saudi Arabia to host World Economic Forum meeting in April
Saudi Arabia's economy minister Faisal Alibrahim has confirmed that the country will host a WEF meeting later this April
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Egypt’s membership in the BRICS economic bloc was officially activated on Monday as Russia assumed leadership of the group, which now comprises 10 countries.

The BRICS, an economic platform for emerging markets and developing countries, welcomed its five new members - Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, and Ethiopia in August last year during the group’s summit in South Africa.

The integration of new member states marked a major expansion for the bloc originally founded by Russia, Brazil, China, and India in 2006 and later joined by South Africa in 2011.

Egypt has been facing a severe economic downturn and record inflation, making it difficult for the country to repay its external debts.

The Egyptian external debt soared by 5.1 percent during the fourth quarter of 2022, reaching US$162.94 billion, a total of US$10 billion more than the previous quarter, according to official figures.

The Army had earlier informed the government about the need for a jetpack suit to cross landmine-infested areasThe Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) is close to handing over the prototype of an electric jetpack for military trials even as its developers are working overtime to explore options for extending the wearable human flight platform’s current flight range of...


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India has longstanding and wide-ranging cooperation with Russia in the field of defence. India-Russia military technical cooperation has evolved from a buyer - seller framework to one involving joint research, development and production of advanced defence technologies and systems.
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Bilateral Relations: India-Russia Relations

Jevans Nyabiage Published: 8:00pm, 23 Dec, 2023
Kenya pins rail hopes on PPP funding from China firms for belt and road project
‘We cannot borrow any more’ says Kenyan leader William Ruto, as he seeks to get strategically important railway back on track
If successful, the East African country will join a growing trend on the continent for public-private partnerships with Chinese companies (PAY MONEY TO READ) !

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Kenya currently owes China $6.3 billion, most of it for the construction of the $5.5 billion Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) running from Mombasa to the Rift Valley. The railway was supposed to pay for itself by hauling freight between the coast and landlocked countries such as Uganda.14 Nov 2023
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In terms of wealth held by private citizens, Kenya has $91 billion (Sh10. 5 trillion) and is ranked fifth. South African citizens have the greatest combined wealth at $651 billion, followed by Egypt ($307 billion) and Nigeria ($228 billion).27 Apr 2022
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Kenya has 8,500 dollar millionaires, according to the Africa Wealth Report 2022, which was released by the same firm in April. This means that Nairobi is home to 59 per cent of Kenya's HNWIs, underlining its status as Kenya's economic hub.14 Sept 2022
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Good read:

I personally prefer Commonwealth countries maintain King Charles 111 as head of state.
I think big mistake taking away the benefits of a Head of State (who does nothing) taking away our Constitution taking away Elections controlled by the people, our democracy instead stupid systems based on American Republic. Which Liberal & Labor have unlawfully already implemented here in Aussie Aussie Land e.g president clown Albanese with the preference voting scam they used to claim representation with.

WHEREAS the people of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia Queensland, and Tasmania, humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty Gods, have agreed to unite in one indissoluble Federal Commonwealth under the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and under the Constitution hereby established:
And whereas it is expedient to provide for the admission into the Commonwealth of other Australasian Colonies and possessions of the Queen:
1. This Act may be cited as the Commonwealth of Australia
Constitution Act.
2. The provisions of this Act referring to the Queen shall extend to Her if Majesty’s heirs and successors in the sovereignty of the United Kingdom.
3. It shall be lawful for the Queen, with the advice of the Privy Council, to declare by proclamation that, on and after a day therein of Pointed, not being later than one year after the passing of this Act, the people of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania, and also, if Her Majesty is satisfied that the people of Western Australia have agreed thereto, of Western Australia, shall be united in a Federal Commonwealth under the name of the Commonwealth of Australia. But Queen may, at any time after the proclamation, appoint a Governor- General for the Commonwealth.
4. The Commonwealth shall be established, and the Constitution of the Commonwealth shall take effect, on and after the day so appointed. But the Parliaments of the several colonies my at any time after the passing of this Act make any such laws, to come into operation on the day so appointed, as they might have made if the Constitution had taken effect at the passing of this Act.
5. This Act, and all laws made by the Parliament of the Commonwealth the under the Constitution, shall be binding on the courts, judges, and people of very State and of every part of the Commonwealth, notwithstanding add anything in the law of any State; and the laws of the Commonwealth shall be in force on all British ships, the Queen’s ships of war excepted, whose first port of clearance and whose port of destination are in the Commonwealth.
6. The Commonwealth shall mean the Commonwealth of Australia as established under this Act.
“The States” shall mean such of the colonies of New South Wales, New Zealand, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia, and South Australia, as for the time being are parts of the Commonwealth, and such colonies or territories as may be admitted into or established by the Commonwealth as States; and each of such parts of the Commonwealth shall be called “a State.”
“Original States’’ shall mean such States as are parts of the Commonwealth at its establishment.
7. The Federal Council of Australasia Act, 1885, is hereby repealed. But so as not to affect any by laws passed by the Federal Council of Australasia and in force at the establishment of the Commonwealth.
Any such law may be repealed as to any State by the Parliament of the Commonwealth, or as to any colony not being a State by the Parliament thereof.
8. After the passing of this Act the Colonial Boundaries Act, 1895, shall not apply to any colony which becomes a State of the Commonwealth; but the Commonwealth shall be taken to be a self-governing colony for the purposes of that Act.

I think British Commonwealth is not the same as colonization
NZ is member of Commonwealth, although NZ doesn't have a written constitution, instead a Bill of Rights its head of state is King Charles 111. If you look NZ has a Governor General, The governor-general of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand, currently King Charles III. As the King is concurrently the monarch of 14 other Commonwealth realms and lives in the United Kingdom he, on the advice of his New Zealand prime minister, appoints a governor-general to carry out his constitutional and ceremonial duties within the Realm of New Zealand. She represents NZ to His Majesty
Australia's Head of State is also King Charles III like NZ it is also a member of the British Commonwealth of nations like NZ is no longer a colony but it embraces something akin to the British Justice system, there in lays the value Commonwealth Nations enjoy.
(that our judiciary here in Australia is bent is another matter as is land titles as they are governed by by the Church of England.
Still many benefits arise from our constitutions, as there are also many benefits with NZ Bill of Rights Act, Australian constitution also sets in place a rule of law that is in-principle much benefit to the peoples of NZ & Australia.
King Charles III is a figurehead so we don't end up with pricks like Biden, Albanese, Morrison, Rudd, Abbott at the top of the heap, the Governor General is supposed represents the peoples rights HOWEVER Guy Fawkes has reincarnated over here.

Land Title Deeds, yep you are living in a Commonwealth Country that up until recent times passage of legal appeals lay to the UK House of Lords.

NZ is a country that sent its sons to defend King and Country (UK) in 1939, (including my father and all his brothers) not something other.
NZ was also an original State of NSW Australia. New Zealand whether republicans in aussie-land like it or not e.g. John Howard hated that he loved to taste of American crap, even though he was an Anglican.
I suppose you know that Helen Clark completed her studied in China and Jacinda Ardern was one of Helen Clark's advisers, NZ was isted as an original state at the time formation of the original Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia Act, 1900.
Jacinda Ardern, who earned international acclaim for her dishonest stupid leadership as New Zealand's prime minister, has been appointed to dual fellowships at Harvard Kennedy School—as 2023 Angelopoulos Global Public Leaders Fellow and as a Hauser Leader in the School's Center for Public Leadership.

Still you only get to play with the first few inches of what you may call your land title below that (whatever that depth is) below that depth belongs to the Crown e.g head the church of England King Charles III and of course Queen Camilla, take a look around Butcher !!

it is also asubject matter I think you will find even China has expressed respect for.
China did rush to the aid of many African nations (example) the Congo, even deployed troops there and in some cases loaned to much money crippling the nations, however China realizes (example) that was not its intention, nor was its intention to impose communism upon other countries.
For example the Russian Federation is a Democracy it is government by its Constitution (ratified) 12th December 1993.

Australia and OBOR

Within Australia, enterprises, banks and law firms are promoting the OBOR initiative as an economic opportunity for the country and, with Chinese endorsement, an Australia-China OBOR Initiative has been established to promote Chinese engagement in the Australian economy. China is also utilising the concept to promote its growing economic engagement with northern Australia. Another avenue for encouraging Australia’s further engagement with OBOR is China’s funding and support of various related local academic conferences and seminars.

yeah oh well, All royal powers in New Zealand may be carried out by both the monarch and governor-general and, in New Zealand law, the two offices are fully interchangeable, mention of one always simultaneously including the other. As of 2021, the current Governor-General is Dame Cindy Kiro.

Dame Cindy Kiro had two kids then met her current husband Richard Davies, a GP and a former member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Council, and is stepmother to his two sons.
--------------------------------------------------------------------mean while:
Allies of ex-premier Imran Khan secure biggest share of seats in Pakistan's final election tally
Allies of former Pakistani premier Imran Khan won more seats in national elections than the political parties who ousted him from power nearly two years ago.

The final tally showed that independent candidates secured 101 out of 266 seats in the National Assembly, or lower house of parliament.

The Pakistan Muslim League-N party, or PML-N, led by three-time premier and ex-felon Nawaz Sharif, secured the second biggest number of seats at 75.

The Pakistan People’s Party, or PPP, led by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, came in third with 54 seats. One result has been withheld and another vote was postponed because of a candidate’s death. The campaign to kick Khan out of office in 2022 was led by the PML-N and the PPP.

No party has won a majority to form a government, so Pakistan will have a coalition. The new parliament chooses the country's next prime minister.
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Army chief congratulates Pakistan on 'successful conduct' of elections
The United States, UK and EU expressed concern over Pakistan's electoral process and urged a probe into reported irregularities.

Pakistan's army chief congratulated the country on Saturday for the "successful conduct" of its national elections, saying the nation needed "stable hands" to move on from the politics of "anarchy and polarisation".

The nuclear-armed South Asian nation voted on Thursday in a general election that remains undecided, as it struggles to recover from an economic crisis and battles militant violence in a deeply polarised political environment.

Two former prime ministers, Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan, both declared victory on Friday.

Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir "wishes that these elections bring in political and economic stability and prove to be the harbinger of peace and prosperity for our beloved Pakistan," according to a statement released by the media wing of the military.

The United States, Britain and the European Union on Friday each expressed concerns about Pakistan's electoral process, urging a probe into reported irregularities.

The European Commission must urgently reconsider whether Israel is complying with its human rights obligations in Gaza under the EU/Israel Association Agreement, an economic pact that forms the basis of relations between Brussels and West Jerusalem, the leaders of Ireland and Spain told EC President Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in a letter on Wednesday.

“We are deeply concerned at the deteriorating situation in Israel and in Gaza, especially the impact the ongoing conflict is having on innocent Palestinians, especially children and women,” Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote.

On Monday, South Africa filed an urgent request with the International Court of Justice seeking a determination of whether Israel’s planned Rafah offensive would constitute a “further imminent breach of the rights of Palestinians in Gaza.” Nearly a million Palestinians evacuated from other parts of the territory are sheltering in the city, and there is nowhere left for them to flee within its borders, as UN and international human rights advocates have warned.
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Subianto, 72, of the Advanced Indonesia Coalition is the frontrunner in the contest, with polls projecting he will win a majority.

He currently serves as defence minister after losing to Widodo in the 2014 and 2019 elections.

Schooled internationally, the defence chief is a retired military general who was fired in 1998 for allegedly ordering the kidnapping of tens of pro-democracy activists in unrest following the fall of dictator Suharto.

Together with President Widodo's 36-year-old son Gibran Rakabuming Raka as his vice presidential candidate, Subianto has been outspoken about carrying on the incumbent leader's policies.

Subianto has pledged to eradicate childhood stunting due to malnutrition by offering free lunch to students, one of his most popular campaign programmes. While the prevalence of stunting has been falling, it remained at 21.6 percent in 2022.

The defence chief has also committed to maintaining a nickel ore export ban imposed by Widodo to increase national income from the mining sector and turn Indonesia into a developed nation.

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Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto claims presidential election victory in first round
JAKARTA: Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto claimed victory in the first round of the archipelago's presidential election Wednesday after preliminary results indicated he was on course to be elected leader of Southeast Asia's biggest economy.
Official results are not due until next month but government-approved pollsters who collected a sample of votes at polling stations for previously reliable "quick counts" put Subianto on more than 55 percent, with most of the vote sample counted.

"All counts, all pollsters... showed figures that Prabowo-Gibran won in one round. This victory should be a victory for all Indonesians," he told a crowd at an arena in central Jakarta, referring also to his running mate.

The preliminary results put him on track for a majority over his rivals Anies Baswedan and Ganjar Pranowo to avoid a second-round runoff vote, which would have taken place in June.