Gerindra Responds to Former Deputy Foreign Minister's Criticism Over Prabowo's Overseas Visits
Gerindra spokesperson Bahtra Banong has responded to criticism from former Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal regarding the frequency of President Prabowo Subianto’s overseas trips. The Deputy Chairman of Commission II of the House of Representatives stated that senior diplomats’ views enrich public perspective on Indonesia’s foreign policy, but head-of-state diplomacy cannot be reduced to Zoom or telephone communication. In international relations, diplomacy involves building strategic trust, strengthening bargaining power, opening cooperation opportunities, and resolving key negotiations requiring direct leader meetings. “Head-of-state diplomacy is not the same as a virtual meeting. Many strategic decisions in investment, trade, defence, energy, and international cooperation emerge from direct communication that builds trust and political commitment between leaders,” Bahtra said in a statement on Monday (1 June).
He emphasised that Prabowo’s overseas trips are not individual journeys but involve national delegations representing government agencies, state-owned enterprises, and businesses to advance Indonesia’s interests. Recent visits to France yielded commercial agreements worth approximately US$3.5 billion (Rp61 trillion) in energy, trade, and defence sectors. “Presidential visits are not merely ceremonial. There are tangible economic benefits, open investment opportunities, strategic partnerships built, all directly impacting national economic growth,” Bahtra added.
While acknowledging public demand for transparency on travel costs, Bahtra argued that the objective measure should include benefits to Indonesia. “If a single visit generates tens of trillions in investment, expands export markets, strengthens energy security, and enhances global standing, it should be viewed as a strategic investment for the nation’s future. The focus should not be on frequency, but on the benefits delivered for the Indonesian people.”
Former Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal has highlighted the high frequency of Prabowo’s overseas trips since taking office, citing recent visits to France that drew public scrutiny despite previous trips in April and January. In an Instagram reels video addressed to Prabowo, Dino stated he felt a moral responsibility to share his views on foreign policy after being awarded the Bintang Mahaputera. “President Prabowo awarded me the Bintang Mahaputera, signifying his trust in my credibility. Therefore, I feel morally obligated to convey my message honestly,” he said on Saturday (30 May).
Dino urged significant reductions in overseas travel frequency and warned against dismissing public concerns. “Among world leaders, President Prabowo has become the most frequent traveller abroad, spending one in every six days overseas – an unusual and unreasonable pace,” he said. He cited the substantial costs of each trip, including advance teams, aircraft, hotels, security, and delegation allowances, which can reach tens to hundreds of billions of rupiah.
Dino recommended relying on virtual meetings for routine communications, noting bilateral discussions typically last 1-2 hours with the rest being ceremonial. “A free video call saves hundreds of billions while delivering similar substantive results,” he said, citing Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s 17 phone calls with former US President Donald Trump. He also suggested maximising multilateral forums like the UN, G20, and ASEAN for bilateral meetings and planning presidential visits well in advance. Dino proposed Prabowo host more foreign leaders in Indonesia than travel abroad over the next year, as most diplomatic missions are tactical in nature.