President Prabowo Reveals Reasons for Overseas Visits

President Prabowo Subianto has stated that his overseas visits are part of maintaining good relations with friendly nations and demonstrating the implementation of Indonesia’s free and active foreign policy. Speaking at the opening of the 18th National Conference of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) in Bandar Lampung, which was followed online from Jakarta on Wednesday, President Prabowo remarked that both he and President Joko Widodo are often criticised regarding their foreign trips. ‘So, there is a President like Mr Jokowi who rarely goes abroad, and he gets blamed. “Jokowi never goes abroad, Jokowi doesn’t care about foreign policy.” I often go abroad: “Prabowo often goes abroad.” It’s strange. Actually, there is no problem,’ said the President. Prabowo said that amidst the current global dynamics, where conflicts occur in several regions and relations between some countries are disharmonious, Indonesia is fortunate to have inherited a free and active political stance from the nation’s founders. The implementation of this principle, Prabowo said, is evident in Indonesia remaining non-aligned and friendly with all countries. ‘A thousand friends are too few. One enemy is too many. This is the line I pursue. Now, I am on good terms with President Putin, which is good. But I am also on good terms with President Trump. Here I get blamed, there I get blamed. But there is no problem,’ he stated. Prabowo said that amidst the many voices, as long as he believes he is working for the nation and the people of Indonesia, he will not hesitate to take such steps. ‘To defend the people’s interests, we must indeed maintain good relations with all governments. That is why I say Indonesia’s politics is a good neighbour policy,’ Prabowo clarified. According to the President, a good neighbour policy ensures that Indonesia has good relations with neighbouring countries in the region as well as other parties in various parts of the world.