Asian AngleWhat Jared Kushner has to learn from Malaysian, Indonesian dynasties
Politics runs in the family in Asia – and now it seems, America too. Donald Trump’s son-in-law would do well to heed the lessons of the Prabowos, Suhartos and Erdogans of the world
“An inch ahead in politics is darkness,” goes a Japanese proverb. Not surprisingly, politicians tend to rely instinctively on family members, who they can naturally trust to steer them through the shadows. Hence dynasticism and politics have always gone hand in hand in Asia – and now it seems America, too.
Prabowo Subianto, who lost to Joko Widodo in Indonesia’s presidential election in 2014, but whose fortunes seem to be turning with the defeat of Widodo’s ally Basuki “Ahok” Purnama in Jakarta’s gubernatorial election this month, married into the household of former dictator Suharto. After divorcing Suharto’s daughter following the president’s fall in 1998, he bided his time, entering the presidential race only when the time was ripe.
