Indonesia's President Joko Widodo set to be sworn in for second term amid tight security

JAKARTA - Indonesian President Joko Widodo is set to be sworn in for his second and final term on Sunday (Oct 20), amid tight security in the Jakarta capital where some 30,000 soldiers and police have stood guard overnight.

Mr Joko, 58, who won the April presidential election with 55.5 per cent of the vote against his challenger Prabowo Subianto, is scheduled to take his oath of office in Parliament alongside new Vice-President Ma'ruf Amin, 76, around 3pm Jakarta time (4pm Singapore time).

Standing before lawmakers and regional senators that make up the People's Consultative Assembly, or MPR, the country's seventh president will also deliver his first speech to lay out his priorities in his next five-year term.

South-east Asia's biggest economy has been struggling with global economic slowdown, growing by only around 5 per cent - lower than the 7 per cent promised by Mr Joko when he first took office in 2014.

Other daunting tasks facing his new administration are advancing bureaucratic reforms, fighting corruption, tackling human rights abuses and curbing surging extremism.

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be among the leaders attending the inauguration.

On Sunday morning, several foreign leaders are expected to make a courtesy call with the president at the state palace in Jakarta, presidential chief of staff Moeldoko told local media.

Nine foreign leaders and another nine representatives and special envoys from other countries were expected to attend the president's inauguration, National Police spokesman Asep Adi Saputra said on Friday (Oct 18).

Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, China's Vice-President Wang Qishan, and Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison are expected to attend.

Mr Lee posted on Facebook on Saturday (Oct 19): "The city is in a buoyant mood for tomorrow's ceremony. I look forward to personally offering my congratulations and reaffirming my support for the excellent bilateral ties between our two countries!"

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After the swearing in, Mr Joko, or Jokowi as he is popularly known, and Mr Ma'ruf will head to the presidential palace to attend an inauguration ceremony under close watch from security officers.

Unlike in 2014, where Mr Joko had celebrated the day with an outdoor music concert and a ride on a horse-drawn carriage to the state palace among thousands cheering Indonesians, he has requested for a "modest and solemn" celebration this time, said Mr Moeldoko.

The president has expressed his wish to start working as soon as possible and will announce his new Cabinet soon after his inauguration, Mr Moeldoko added.

Concerns over security have emerged following student protests against an anti-corruption law since September as well as the Oct 10 stabbing of chief security minister Wiranto by a militant linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist group.

A street carnival featuring rare Sumatran elephants planned earlier by Mr Jokowi's volunteer groups had also been scrapped.

The police have stepped up efforts against potential terrorist attacks ahead of the inauguration. From Oct 10 to 14, they have crippled bomb plots and arrested 26 suspects, including Syahril Alamsyah, better known Abu Rara who had allegedly attacked General Wiranto. The police have also banned rallies in Jakarta since last week.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.