Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto has revealed the reason why he still often travels overseas in recent months in the midst of government budget cuts.
This was conveyed by Prabowo in his opening speech at the XVIII congress of the Islamic mass organisation Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) women's wing, Muslimat, in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on Monday February 10.
Initially, Prabowo said he was making budget cuts for unnecessary and far-fetched expenses. The chairperson of the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra) admitted that the savings were being made to finance various programs for the ordinary people, such as the free nutritious meal (MBG) program and school improvement in all regions.
"Because of this, official trips, journeys abroad are being reduced, you may fight Prabowo [on this], but later you'll be fighting all the emak-emak [housewives, usually urban]", Prabowo said.
Prabowo has asked his staff to reduce the journeys abroad and even, if necessary, there will be no official visits overseas in the next five years. Although he said that the official overseas trips could still be done for those who are carrying out learning assignments and state duties.
"Don't look for duties in order to travel, if you want to travel use your own money", he said.
"But then, President Prabowo often goes overseas? I'm invited as the head of state to important conferences, by important countries, and I represent the nation in order to secure the interests of the nation", Prabowo continued.
Furthermore, Prabowo has also asked his staff not to conduct comparative studies in other countries. He was surprised to learn that there were some who conducted a comparative study on poverty alleviation in Australia.
"Discussions, discussions, comparative studies, comparative studies, wanting to learn how to alleviate poverty, a comparative study to Australia. Australia is one of the 10 richest countries in the world, why study in Australia?" he asked.
"A comparative study of scouting, what's with studying scouting? Complaining, then lobbying journalists, NGOs [non-government organisations], to attack me. That's okay, I'm more afraid of the emak-emak than them" Prabowo added. (mnf/fra)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Prabowo Ungkap Alasan Masih Keluar Negeri di Masa Hemat Anggaran".]
