Abroad Duty
[Prabowo's ] populist, project-driven and fiscally expansionary approach has been unfolding in an inherited fragile institutional environment, putting pressure on Indonesia’s longstanding foundational pillars of economic resilience. Now, as, likely, Prabowo try to channeling itself into Soekarno charisma, he also try to be populist on foreign policy, as well bridging “East” and “West.”
In last 5 days, global public showed how cost of vassalage [military alliance, but US set up the ally must agree everything or “Friends Indeed/No Strings Attached”] from US v South Korea after ICE’s raid in Georgia, U.S. —— and it’s very pretty good alarm for Prabowo on foreign policy.
To effectively represent national interests at upcoming international diplomacy events in New York [United Nation General Assembly], Kuala Lumpur [ASEAN Summit], and Gyeongju [APEC] in South Korea, President Prabowo Subianto needs to engage in more serious preparations and hold intensive meetings with his top aides.
[Global singer IU as one of Ambassador of APEC 2025 alongside BTS].
Although he is recognized as a skilled "foreign-policy president", his tendency to rely on intuition rather than a well-prepared plan poses a risk. A recent example of this spontaneity was the President's last-minute decision to travel to China for a one-day ceremonial visit to attend the Victory Day Parade after canceling it a few days prior due to a wave of protests in various parts of the country.
He left for Beijing after receiving a security guarantee from his top security aides. Still the trip was widely criticized because it came on the heels of a turmoil, which the President himself had attributed to "treasonous and terrorism interests." The visit's perceived lack of substance raised public concerns about the President's priorities. Or perhaps there was a big incentive that made Prabowo join the parade. According to his ministers, during his trip President Prabowo received assurances from President Xi Jinping regarding Chinese assistance for two costly projects, namely the US$80 billion Giant Sea Wall and the Jakarta-Surabaya high-speed train.
Prabowo must be well aware that Indonesia is now facing a mounting debt resulting from the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed train project, which was built as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. We do not oppose the two projects, but remind the government to conduct a thorough feasibility study, including assessments of financing, environmental impacts and business prospects before realizing them.
The sea wall is said to protect people and cities along the northern coast of Java from the threat of sea rise and abrasion. It will take 15 to 20 years to build and has been listed among the government’s national strategic projects for 2025-2029. President Prabowo inaugurated a new agency tasked with constructing the sea wall last month.
The problem is …. “optic.” And that’s how actually multiple global media confused [how to] reporting “Prabowo alongside Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong-un.”
Multiple Western media including Japanese media [as Japan is “West” block] cropped appearance of Prabowo in Beijing. A Consensus in Japanese established media —— likely US, UK, France, etc is believe that “Prabowo is western ally, not China ally.” Japanese media [may] don’t forget that Prabowo [accidentally, surprisingly] get a very warm welcome by Macron, both leaders landed in Jakarta and Paris, with very beautiful and lavish ceremony including military show.
[Accidentally too, that] Macron know Prabowo is very close friend of Jordan king, and Macron has a [very difficult] initiative: to ensure West block to join France to recognise statehood of Palestine. Even for Indonesian people standard, [we] shocked that how Macron very quickly put friendly-very warm connection with us [Indonesian], almost same par Franco-German connection. Alas, it good advantage for Prabowo, thanks for his friendly relationship with Macron, we [Indonesia] get an advantage in Schengen issue [visa].
Multiple Western media including Japanese media also really believe that Prabowo is “west ally” because [unexpected, because very quickly response by Prabowo] Indonesia has agreed to purchase 50 Boeing aircraft from the United States as part of a broader trade deal aimed at avoiding steep reciprocal tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, when just weeks before Prabowo got a special treatment by Macron [in which, maybe Indonesia will buying stunning amount of Airbus planes].
The agreement follows Trump’s threat to slap a 32% import tariff on Indonesian goods. That figure was later lowered to 19% after Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto engaged in direct negotiations with Trump. Some outcry in Indonesia that Prabowo “too weak” for Trump tariff’s threat —— or indicating that Prabowo just willing to more and more “close with the West block.”
The President should be aware that some, if not many, of his policies have come under public scrutiny. In response to the demonstrations, he has promised to take people’s aspirations into account. Now he only needs to walk the walk. We therefore suggest that the President consult with his aides, especially the foreign minister, the finance minister and other relevant ministers, before striking a deal with a foreign leader or institution.
The recent expression of public disappointment should help the President remember not to simply okay advice from aides who only want to please him. The President is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sept. 23. He will be the third speaker after United States President Donald Trump and Brazilian President Lula da Silva.
Next month, on Oct. 26, Prabowo will attend the 47th ASEAN Summit hosted by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as well as separate summits with the regional grouping’s leaders' counterparts, including the US, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Russia. A few days later, Prabowo is slated to participate in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju on Oct. 31, which will be hosted by new South Korean President Lee Jae-myung. Prabowo’s attendance at the three international events is crucial. He should go, but with much better preparation for the sake of national interests.
=====
If you feel powerless to help Gaza, you still has a choice: donate. When so much of what exists is false, authenticity is a powerful weapon we can wield that the state never could. So if you feel lost, hopeless, depressed, angry and afraid, I implore you to return - again and again - to the feeling of love that exists within you that brought you here in the first place. It is only through this that we can remake the world. To redress Gaza's famine, displacement, and destruction, independent and impartial humanitarian organizations - UN agencies, international and national NGOs - must be allowed to deliver relief at scale. To salvage Gaza's people from the devastation inflicted by Israel, it must be unified with the West Bank to form an independent and sovereign Palestinian State, not to be parceled and colonized by the former.
Please keep donate Gaza especially if you, as reader, has [background] International Relation [whatever universities]. IR Graduate means [you must, at least] get some semester [about] studying Middle East [in macro, not specifically Gaza].
We need more people to share fundraisers instead of only talking about Gaza. Some people think that those in Gaza don't need money but that's wrong. Almost everyone lost their source of income while essentials, food & medicine get sold for astronomical prices. So I put my attempt in all social media as I can, in twitter / X, in substack [since October 2023 I put link donation], in bluesky or bsky, in threads, in instagram.
Link to donate World Food Programme - Palestine appeal: click here
[Daniel Brühl]
Most campaign shared or circulated in social media are for REAL people in Gaza. They're legit. There are a lot of small campaigns for struggling families. This is their only lifeline. By donating & sharing, you are literally making history and alleviating part of their pain
Please do not rely on me alone for sharing your campaign. I'm only 1 person and sometimes I'm not online which is unreliable. I never ignore anybody on purpose but I have a very limited capacity & very little energy and time.
[Refaat Alareer IF I MUST DIE] Refaat Alareer was extremely hungry, November 2023, days before killed by Israel airstrike. If November 2023 already [one-by-one Gazan] extremely hungry, imagine August 2025.
Thanks for reading Prada’s Newsletter.