JAKARTA - Indonesia's former army general, Prabowo Subianto, was sworn in as the country's eighth president on Sunday morning, succeeding Joko Widodo, who led the world's fourth most populous nation for the past decade.

Prabowo, who had been serving as defense minister, and his running mate, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, Widodo's eldest son and former mayor of Surakarta, won the 2024 presidential election held on Feb 14.

Wearing a traditional black hat and navy suit with a woven maroon and golden sarong, Prabowo officially became Indonesia's president during an inauguration ceremony at parliament.

Prabowo said in a fiery speech to lawmakers he would be president for all Indonesians and challenged the nation to help him face down the country's problems.

"We must always realize that a free nation is where the people are free," Prabowo said, at times raising his voice.

"They must be freed of fear, poverty, hunger, ignorance, oppression, suffering," he said.

In a wide-ranging speech lasting about an hour, Prabowo said self-sufficiency for food was possible within five years, while also pledging to become self-sufficient in energy.

READ MORE: Indonesia's parliament passes Prabowo's maiden budget

The new president vowed to eradicate corruption and said that while he wanted to live in a democracy, it must be "polite".

"A difference of opinion must come without enmity ... fighting without hating," he said.

Prabowo won the Feb 14 contest with nearly 60 percent of the vote and has spent the past nine months building a formidable parliamentary coalition.

Greeting supporters

After his speech, Prabowo wore a baseball cap and waved through a car sunroof as he made his way to the presidential palace, passing thousands of flag-waving supporters thronging Jakarta's streets in a festival-like atmosphere.

Flower boards outside the palace either congratulated Prabowo and Gibran or thanked Jokowi for his decade of service.

Jokowi supporters are also attending the celebrations to bid farewell to Indonesia's outgoing leader.

Anneta Yuniar, a bystander who had excitedly waved at Jokowi's motorcade as it slowly made its way past supporters before the ceremony, said she would miss Jokowi but that Prabowo was a strong leader.

"Prabowo will continue the development that Jokowi started. There's continuity. It's what I want," she said.

READ MORE: Indonesia's president-elect Prabowo secures parliamentary majority

Jokowi has left an indelible mark on the nation of 280 million, presiding over a period of strong economic growth and massive infrastructure development.

Indonesian police and military have put in place strict security measures, deploying at least 100,000 personnel across the city, including snipers and anti-riot units.

Prabowo is expected to meet with foreign dignitaries, including a number of heads of state, later on Sunday at the presidential palace, said Hasan Nasbi, the head of the presidential communications organization.

Prabowo also touched on foreign policy during his speech, saying Indonesia was non-aligned on the global stage, but that he stood in support of the Palestinian people and said Jakarta was ready to send more aid to Gaza.