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Prabowo slams podium at campaign event, calmed by Amien Rais
Prabowo reprimanded security forces present at a campaign event in Yogyakarta on Monday while slamming his hand on the podium several times.
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Prabowo reprimanded security forces present at a campaign event in Yogyakarta on Monday while slamming his hand on the podium several times. (Antara/Umarul Faruq)
G
erindra Party chairman and presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto showed a glimpse of his notorious temper at a campaign event in Yogyakarta on Monday.
As seen in a video on the official Gerindra YouTube channel, Prabowo delivers a speech to a crowd of supporters at the Kridosono stadium. He becomes emotional and calls on the security forces present to be loyal to the people.
“My juniors, you who are still actively serving in the military and the police, remember you are the people’s soldiers,” Prabowo exclaims.
“You are the police of the people, all the people of Indonesia. You cannot serve only a few people, especially not foreign lackeys,” he continues, while slamming his hand on the podium several times, to the chants of “Prabowo! Prabowo!” from the crowd.
Prabowo’s outburst is cut off when senior National Mandate Party (PAN) politician and Prabowo-Sandiaga Uno campaign adviser Amien Rais, who had been sitting behind the podium, stands up and approaches the former general.
Amien is then joined by Yogyakarta United Development Party (PPP) politician Syukri Fadholi, who was also sitting behind the podium.
Syukri puts an arm around Prabowo while Amien appears to whisper something.
“They are worried about me, so they whispered ‘Be patient, be patient’,” Prabowo said, to the laughter of the crowd. “Shall I continue?”
During the 2014 presidential race, Prabowo gained a reputation for hotheadedness, lashing out at journalists for what he perceived as unfavorable coverage and even reportedly throwing a cellphone at a fellow politician.
At the beginning of the current campaign period, his camp attempted to counter this image, with running mate Sandiaga saying that the "new Prabowo" was more relaxed and laid-back.
Prabowo’s temper has been a subject of discussion in recent weeks, particularly after he scolded the audience at the last presidential debate on March 30 for laughing.
“So you’re laughing? I say that Indonesia’s defense is weak and you’re laughing? Go ahead and laugh,” he said. (kmt)
