Habiburokhman Criticises Dino Patti Djalal Over Remarks on Prabowo's Foreign Visits

Habiburokhman, Deputy Chairman of the Gerindra Party, has criticised statements made by former Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal regarding President Prabowo Subianto’s overseas visits. He argued that Djalal’s communication style is inappropriate as it encourages the public to compare different administration periods. “How great was the era of Mr Dino? Why does he now act as if he is the most authoritative figure from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?” Habiburokhman said at the DPR, MPR, and DPD Complex on Tuesday, 2 June 2026.

He noted that as a former Deputy Foreign Minister, Djalal should prioritise ethics and respect when expressing opinions. He cited examples from higher-level international contexts, such as how former US President George Bush did not criticise his successor, Barack Obama, while in office. Within the Indonesian context, he added that leaders in Commission III of the DPR, such as Bambang Pacul and Benny Harman, do not attack him in his current role as Chairman of Commission III.

In a video posted to his Instagram account, Dino Patti Djalal, founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia, urged President Prabowo to significantly reduce foreign travel and not ignore public concerns. Djalal calculated that Prabowo has been one of the most frequent travelling heads of state, spending one out of every six days abroad. He warned that such high-frequency international visits incur massive costs.

Djalal offered five suggestions to the President. First, he suggested relying more on video calls, Zoom, or telephone to maintain communication with world leaders, noting that bilateral meetings often consist of brief substantive talks followed by lengthy, unnecessary ceremonies. He argued that video calls could save hundreds of billions of rupiah with similar substantive results. He cited Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has utilised phone calls with US President Donald Trump, and noted that Sheinbaum even flew economy class on a working trip to set an example of austerity.

Second, to save time and costs, Djalal suggested the President utilise existing international forums to meet other heads of state. He noted instances where requests for bilateral meetings, such as from the President of Finland or an ASEAN leader, allegedly went unresponded to by the administration. He proposed a “Formula 1 plus 8” approach, where the President meets at least eight other heads of state while attending forums like Davos, the UN, or the G20.

Third, Djalal emphasised that international visits should be professional and well-planned, suggesting that schedules should be announced at least a week in advance to ensure transparency and accountability, noting that recent trips to Pakistan and Russia were conducted without prior public notice.

Fourth, Djalal requested that for the coming year, the President should host more foreign dignitaries in Indonesia rather than travelling abroad, mirroring the strategy of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Fifth, he proposed that most tactical diplomatic missions should be delegated to Foreign Minister Sugiono to further reduce costs, as ministerial delegations are significantly smaller than presidential ones.