Prabowo\u2019s Overseas Visits Are Not Just for Show, Says Teddy<\/p>\n
Reporter<\/p>\n
June 2, 2026 | 10:44 am<\/p>\n
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya has rejected\ncriticism that President Prabowo Subianto\u2019s frequent overseas trips are\nmerely symbolic efforts to project an international image, arguing\ninstead that the visits have delivered tangible diplomatic and economic\nbenefits for Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Teddy\u2019s remarks were made in response to comments by former deputy\nforeign minister Dino Patti Djalal, who questioned the effectiveness of\nPrabowo\u2019s extensive foreign travel. Speaking in a video statement on\nMonday, June 1, 2026, Teddy said it was misleading to characterize the\nvisits as ceremonial.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a big mistake to say these trips are merely for show. We need\nto look at what has been achieved over the past one and a half years,\u201d\nTeddy said.<\/p>\n
He highlighted several accomplishments that he attributed to\nPrabowo\u2019s diplomatic engagements during his 19 months in office.<\/p>\n
One of the key achievements, Teddy said, was Indonesia\u2019s accession to\nBRICS, the bloc of major emerging economies originally comprising\nBrazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The group has since\nexpanded to include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab\nEmirates, and Indonesia.<\/p>\n
According to Teddy, BRICS membership has helped Indonesia navigate\nglobal uncertainty by strengthening access to energy and food\nsupplies.<\/p>\n
\u201cAmid global conflicts and crises, Indonesia\u2019s condition remains\nsecure. Fuel stocks are sufficient, subsidized fuel prices have not\nincreased, and food supplies remain stable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Teddy also pointed to the trade agreement between Indonesia and the\nEuropean Union, which he said will allow a range of Indonesian products\nto enter the European market with zero tariffs. He noted that\nnegotiations had lasted for decades before reaching a breakthrough\nduring Prabowo\u2019s administration in 2025.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis agreement had been discussed for decades, but it was concluded\nduring President Prabowo\u2019s tenure,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
On investment, Teddy cited data from Indonesia\u2019s Investment\nCoordinating Board (BKPM), claiming that investment inflows reached\napproximately Rp2,430 trillion during the past 18 months. He added that\nPrabowo\u2019s visits to Japan and South Korea between late March and early\nApril 2026 generated additional investment commitments worth around\nRp575 trillion.<\/p>\n
In the defense sector, Teddy said Indonesia had strengthened its\nmilitary capabilities through expanded cooperation with several\ncountries, including France, the United States, Russia, China, the\nUnited Kingdom, and other European partners.<\/p>\n
He also highlighted what he described as the successful management of\nthe Hajj pilgrimage in 2025 and 2026. Teddy noted that Indonesia had\nsecured approval for the development of a Hajj village in Saudi Arabia,\na move he said was made possible after Saudi authorities amended\nregulations allowing foreign countries to own land designated for Hajj\nservices.<\/p>\n
Teddy further cited Indonesia\u2019s support for Palestinian statehood as\nanother outcome of Prabowo\u2019s diplomatic efforts. He pointed to\nhumanitarian assistance delivered by air, saying such operations\nrequired extensive diplomatic coordination with countries whose airspace\nwas used during the missions.<\/p>\n
Additional support included the deployment of a hospital ship and\nscholarship programs for Palestinian students to study in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He also credited Foreign Minister Sugiono and the Foreign Ministry\nfor securing the release of Indonesian citizens who were briefly\ndetained by the Israeli military in international waters, enabling them\nto return home within days.<\/p>\n
Concluding his remarks, Teddy said the government welcomed criticism\nand public input but urged observers to acknowledge what he described as\nthe administration\u2019s achievements.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are open to various suggestions and criticisms. But we should not\nignore the facts and the achievements that have been made,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Read: Prabowo: Indonesia Won\u2019t Beg Others if It Upholds Pancasila<\/p>\n
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