Indonesia's controversial presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto has secured the support of the country’s most charismatic labour leader at a raucous May Day rally in Jakarta.
Despite a checkered human rights record, former military leader Prabowo is the second-favourite candidate for the Indonesian presidency in July’s elections, behind only Jakarta governor Joko Widodo.
Union leader Said Iqbal, a strict muslim, told a crowd of about 50,000 manufacturing and metals union members at the Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta on Thursday: “May God make Prabowo president!”.
Mr Prabowo told the rally he had signed up to the 10-point list of union demands which includes compulsory pension insurance, eliminating outsourcing, and delivering free healthcare and cheap housing for workers and the poor.