Gerindra Responds to Dino Patti Djalal's Criticism Over Prabowo's Foreign Visits, Strategic Negotiations Cannot Be Conducted via Zoom

Criticism from former Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal regarding the frequency of President Prabowo Subianto’s foreign visits has drawn a response from Gerindra Party. Gerindra spokesperson Bahtra Banong stated the party appreciates Dino’s views, noting public criticism of the government is a normal part of a democratic system. However, Bahtra argued that Dino’s suggestion for leaders to communicate solely via phone or Zoom is not entirely appropriate. He stressed that presidential diplomacy has dimensions that cannot be replaced by remote communication. “In a democracy, criticism is natural and important as part of public oversight of the government,” Bahtra told tvOnenews on Monday, 1 June 2026. “Diplomacy cannot be replaced by Zoom or phone. We disagree with simplifying head-of-state diplomacy to just Zoom or phone calls,” he added. According to the Deputy Chairman of DPR Commission II, international relations are built on trust from direct communication. Moreover, strategic negotiations are more effective when conducted face-to-face between leaders. “Currently, communication with friendly heads of state sometimes occurs online,” he said. Previously, President Prabowo’s May 2026 visit to France drew public attention for being sudden and seemingly unplanned. This scrutiny arose after Prabowo had already visited France twice in January and April 2026 to meet President Emmanuel Macron. In response, Dino proposed reducing the frequency of presidential foreign trips to cut government spending. “A single overseas trip can cost tens, even hundreds of billions of rupiah,” he said in a video on Saturday, 30 May 2026. He also suggested using phone or video calls for communication with world leaders, which he believes would save budget and time. Dino noted that substantive discussions between leaders typically last one to two hours, with the rest being ceremonial.