PDIP Questions Accountability of President Prabowo's Overseas Visits
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Indonesia (PDIP) has highlighted the response of Cabinet Secretary Lieutenant Colonel Teddy Indra Wijaya regarding criticisms made by former Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal against President Prabowo Subianto.
Andreas Hugo Pareira, Chairman of the PDIP Central Executive Board for Membership and Organisation, stated that since these trips are official state visits, the justification of using personal funds to cover budget overruns is irrelevant. “I believe many people can do that (use personal funds to cover excesses). However, state visits are about representing the nation, not the individual,” Andreas said at the DPR, MPR, and DPD complex on Tuesday, 2 June 2026.
In addition to the claims regarding personal funding, Pareira added that PDIP is questioning the actual outcomes of the government’s recent overseas visits. He emphasised that the public has a right to know about the accountability of budget usage and the tangible results achieved by the President as the representative of the Indonesian people in global politics. “This is crucial because these visits affect not only the President’s reputation but also the reputation of our country,” noted the Vice Chairman of Commission XIII of the DPR.
Cabinet Secretary Lieutenant Colonel Teddy Indra Wijaya previously claimed that President Prabowo personally bears the cost of travel excesses during overseas visits. He cited instances where, when costs exceeded the allocated budget, Prabowo would cover the difference from his personal funds. “Therefore, any excess costs beyond what the state has budgeted are entirely borne by President Prabowo personally,” Teddy stated via a video release on Monday, 1 June 2026.
Teddy also claimed that the size of the presidential entourage for overseas trips has decreased under the Prabowo administration compared to previous governments. He stated that the number of state delegates has been halved; whereas delegations under previous presidents could exceed 120 people, the current delegation ranges between 50 to 60 people. “Many people are aware of this, including journalists,” he added. However, Teddy did not disclose the specific state budget allocated for President Prabowo’s overseas visits, nor the exact amount of personal funds used by the President to cover costs.
This controversy follows criticism from former Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal, who used his Instagram account to urge President Prabowo to significantly reduce the frequency of his international travels. Djalal, the founder of the Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia, argued that Prabowo’s travel frequency is unusually high, noting that the President has spent one out of every six days abroad since taking office. “Head-of-state visits abroad incur massive costs, even extremely large ones,” Djalal remarked.