Singapore Media Highlights Controversy Over Prabowo's Foreign Trips
Singaporean media are highlighting the growing controversy regarding the frequency of President Prabowo Subianto’s overseas travels. This debate intensified after former Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal criticised the frequency of Prabowo’s foreign visits in the midst of various economic challenges facing Indonesia.
In its report on Monday, The Straits Times noted that the Indonesian government has finally provided its “most detailed defence to date against criticism coming from politicians, diplomats, and international media regarding the cost, scale, and priorities of Prabowo’s foreign diplomacy.” This was featured in an article titled “‘Not showmanship’: Aide hits back at critics of Prabowo’s foreign trips.”
“A high-ranking Indonesian official has launched the government’s most detailed defence to date against President Prabowo Subianto’s frequent overseas trips, dismissing increasing criticism from politicians, diplomats, and international media regarding the cost, scale, and priorities of his global diplomacy tour,” the Singaporean outlet reported.
“In a video lasting nearly seven minutes uploaded to the official Cabinet Secretariat YouTube channel on 1 June, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya responded point-by-point to the concerns raised by former Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal and other critics,” the media added.
“This detailed response marks the first time a senior government official has directly addressed criticism surrounding Prabowo’s foreign trips, which have become more intensive as Indonesia grapples with the weakening rupiah and broader economic uncertainty.”
It is noted that since being inaugurated in October 2024, Prabowo has visited at least 29 countries across more than 50 international agendas, a fact that has drawn scrutiny from critics.
“Teddy argued that these trips have provided tangible benefits for Indonesia, ranging from the influx of investment and trade agreements to the strengthening of defence relations and support for Palestine,” The Straits Times reported.
The report also detailed Dino’s previous criticisms. In a video uploaded on 30 May, Dino requested that Prabowo significantly reduce the frequency of foreign trips, arguing they had reached a level that was difficult to justify. He also suggested that the government should make greater use of video conferencing technology for diplomatic agendas and allow Foreign Minister Sugiono to take a larger role in conducting international missions.
“In his response on 1 June, Teddy thanked Dino for his very thorough and structured input, before noting that the veteran diplomat had only served as Deputy Foreign Minister for about three months,” the media added.
“Teddy, a former military officer who previously served as an aide to former President Joko Widodo and Prabowo during his tenure as Defence Minister, is widely regarded as one of the President’s closest aides, often travelling with him on foreign visits and important diplomatic meetings,” wrote The Straits Times.
Addressing concerns regarding costs, Teddy stated: “Any excess costs from the state budget are fully borne by President Prabowo himself.”
“Teddy also rejected the notion that the President travels with an excessively large delegation, stating that the number of officials accompanying Prabowo has been reduced by more than half compared to the previous administration.”