Teddy’s Response to Dino Patti Djalal’s Criticism of Prabowo’s Overseas Trips

JAKARTA, Jakartaweekly.com — Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya’s response to criticism from former Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal has become a hot topic of discussion on the internet. Many netizens considered Teddy’s response unethical because they believed he replied to the criticism with satire. 

In his video, the former Deputy Foreign Minister during Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Presidency shared criticism and suggestions regarding President Prabowo Subianto’s frequent overseas trips. During the first 18 months of his presidency, Prabowo has reportedly made 49 official visits abroad. 

This makes him the president with the highest number of overseas official trips since the era of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). According to various sources, President SBY made 86 official overseas trips during his 10 years in office. Meanwhile, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) made only 58 trips during his 10-year presidency. 

In the reel uploaded to his Instagram account, @dinopattidjalal, Dino highlighted five main points. First, he suggested that President Praboeo should rely more on video calls to reduce cost, arguing that the substantive outcomes would be more or less the same. 

Second, he advised President Prabowo to make better use of international forums by meeting other heads of state attending the same event. Dino referred to this as the “1+8 formula”, where one international forum provides the opportunity to meet eight other national leaders. 

Third, he suggested that international visits should be planned properly at least one month or one week before departure. Fourth, he emphasized the importance of accountability and transparency in overseas visits. 

Fifth, he recommended assigning tacticals diplomatic mission to Foreign Minister Sugiono. However, he also suggested that the Foreign Minister should no longer be part of president entourage. 

Dino presented these five recommendations for several reasons. He observed that since taking office, President Prabowo has spent at least one out of every six days overseas. 

“It is therefore not surprising that some people consider this unusual and beyond reasonable limits,” Dino said in the video that uploaded on May, 31, 2026. 

He also expressed hope that President would demonstrate greater sensitivity and propriety toward the public amid the current global uncertainty. 

Two days later, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya responded through a video uploaded on the official Instagram account @sekretariat.kabinet. Teddy thanked former Deputy Foreign Minister Dino Patti Djalal for delivering his suggestions in a structured manner. 

“Thank you for the input. It is very thorough and well-structured. He is an outstanding diplomat and once served as Deputy Foreign Minister, although he was only given the opportunity for three months,” Teddy said. 

Teddy then addressed the five key points raised by Dino. First, he stated that any expenses beyond the official budget for presidential overseas trips are personally covered by the President. Second, he said the size of the presidential delegation has been reduced by more than 50%. 

According to Teddy, during Dino’s tenure as Deputy Foreign Minister, presidential overseas trips could involve as many as 120 delegates. Under Prabowo’s administration, that number has been reduced to around 50-60 people. 

Third, Teddy explained that the government has prepared one-year schedule for international visits. However, some trips are considered urgent due to rapid changes in global developments. According to him, such visits are necessary to strengthen relations between world leaders, enabling Indonesia to receive assistance quickly during crises or provide assistance when needed. 

“We need to look at what has been achieved over the past 1.5 years. First, Indonesia joined BRICS. What are the benefits? Amid ongoing global conflicts and crises, national stability is maintained, fuel supplies remain secure, subsidized fuel prices have not increased, and food stocks remain sufficient,” Teddy explained.

Teddy also stated that under Prabowo’s administration, Indonesia successfully secured a 0% tariff agreement with European countries. In addition, Indonesia’s realized investment from 2025 through the first quarter of 2026 reached Rp 2.430 trillion, according to the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM). 

Furthermore, Prabowo secured investment commitments worth Rp 575 trillion during visits to Japan and South Korea. In the defense sector, Indonesia acquired military equipment from several countries. Teddy also highlighted the smooth implementation of the Hajj pilgrimage and noted that Indonesia became the only country to have a dedicated Hajj village in Saudi Arabia. 

Indonesia has also played an active role in supporting Palestine by delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza through air drops, deploying a hospital ship and providing education in Indonesia for around 100 Palestinian children. In addition, the Foreign Minister helped secure the return of Indonesian citizens who had been detained by Israel. 

Many netizens views Teddy Indra Wijaya’s response as inappropriate. As a state official, they argued that Teddy should have responded with clear arguments, without making references to Dino’s three months tenure as Deputy Foreign Minister. Netizens also questioned Teddy’s statement regarding the President’s use of personal funds, arguing that it may conflict with Law No. 17 of 2023 and Law No 1 of 2004.