Deputy Speaker of DPR Saan: Foreign Visits Vary by President, Cannot Be Compared

Former Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal has criticised the frequency of President Prabowo Subianto’s overseas visits. In response, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR) Saan Mustopa stated that the intensity of foreign visits for each President is inherently different and cannot be compared to one another.

“The frequency of visits abroad, for every head of state, specifically the President, is certainly different; they cannot be compared one to another regarding intensity,” Saan said at the DPR Building, Senasean, Jakarta, on Wednesday (3/6/2026).

Saan emphasised that every administration possesses its own strategy and urgency regarding diplomacy and building relations with friendly nations. He noted that global conditions significantly influence Indonesia’s diplomatic efforts.

“Urgency, interest, and strategy are certainly different for every administration. This is also related to the situation, developments, and dynamics within both the domestic and global contexts. Therefore, it cannot be compared as if one is excessive,” Saan added.

Previously, Dino Patti Djalal shared his views regarding President Prabowo’s international travels via a video uploaded to his social media account on Saturday (30/5). Dino assessed that Prabowo has been the most frequent head of state to travel abroad since taking office, which incurs significant costs.

“In our calculations, among all world leaders, President Prabowo has become the head of state who travels abroad most frequently. Since assuming the presidency, one out of every six days has been spent abroad, and it is not surprising that some perceive this as unusual or beyond reasonable limits. It is highly unlikely that in the next 18 months, President Prabowo will continue international visits at such a high frequency,” Dino stated.

He noted that head-of-state visits involve substantial expenses, including costs for advance teams, aircraft, hotels, logistics, consumption, protocol, security, daily allowances for delegations, and various other expenditures. According to Dino, a single overseas trip can cost tens to hundreds of billions of rupiah.

Consequently, Dino offered five suggestions for President Prabowo. First, to maintain communication with other world leaders, he suggested relying more on video calls, Zoom, or telephone calls. Based on his experience, bilateral visits often centre on a single discussion lasting only one to two hours.