Cabinet Secretary Teddy Responds to Dino Patti Djalal: All Feedback Welcomed, But Don't Obscure Achievements

Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya stated that the government is open to criticism but urged that such feedback should not obscure the achievements of President Prabowo Subianto’s foreign trips.

“Every input is welcome, but we must not blur the facts of all the results we have achieved,” Cabinet Secretary Teddy said in an official Cabinet Secretariat broadcast in Jakarta on Monday.

The statement responds to criticisms by former Deputy Foreign Minister and Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) founder Dino Patti Djalal regarding President Prabowo’s overseas visits over the past 18 months.

The six-minute-plus broadcast included at least eight points of response and clarification to Dino’s social media comments on the President’s foreign agenda.

Teddy began by thanking Dino for his input, describing it as “meticulous and structured”, and acknowledged him as “a great diplomat who served as deputy foreign minister, albeit for only about three months”.

Addressing Dino’s criticism of the “very high” travel costs, Teddy clarified that any excess budgeted expenses were personally covered by President Prabowo.

Regarding the size of the presidential delegation, Teddy highlighted that Prabowo’s entourage had been significantly reduced compared to predecessors, from over 120 people previously to a maximum of 50-60 now.

Dino had previously suggested that foreign trips should be mapped out at least a year in advance.