Visit to Abu Dhabi, Megawati attends bilateral relations agenda

The fifth President of the Republic of Indonesia who is also the General Chair of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) Megawati Soekarnoputri arrived in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and was greeted by the Minister of State at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saeed Bin Mubarak Al Hajeri. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The fifth President of the Republic of Indonesia, who is also the General Chair of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), Megawati Soekarnoputri, arrived in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday afternoon local time or Sunday, February 1 WIB.

Based on information quoted by Antara Monday, February 2, Megawati was accompanied by her son who is also the Chairman of the PDIP DPP Muhammad Prananda Prabowo. Megawati attended a number of activities during her visit to Abu Dhabi.

Arriving at Al Bateen Airport, Megawati was greeted by the Indonesian Ambassador to the UAE, Judha Nugraha, and the Minister of State at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saeed Bin Mubarak Al Hajeri.

In the waiting room, Megawati and Prananda were greeted by the Head of the Foreign Affairs DPP, Ahmad Basarah, and the Head of the Research and Strategic Policy Analysis Agency of the PDIP, Andi Widjayanto, and the Head of the Religious Affairs DPP (inactive), Zuhairi Misrawi and the Indonesian Defense Attaché in the UAE, Brigadier General TNI Tony Aris Setyawan.

Saeed is a Minister of State at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs who has played a key role in driving the UAE's global economic agenda as well as overseeing bilateral relations, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.

"Welcome and I hope you enjoy your visit to the UAE. I hope you are willing to visit several places in Abu Dhabi," said Saeed.

Megawati then asked Saeed if he had ever been to Indonesia and visited anywhere.

"Jakarta and Bali," he replied while inviting Megawati to visit the Zayed National Museum which is not far from the hotel where Megawati stayed during her stay in Abu Dhabi.

The Zayed National Museum on Saadiyat Island, officially opened on December 3, 2025, is the UAE's national museum dedicated to honoring the legacy of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Its iconic design features five steel towers shaped like eagle wings, the work of architect Lord Norman Foster of Foster + Partners.

"The Zayed National Museum is very nice and it's only 5 minutes from the hotel," Saeed invited. After checking her schedule with Ahmad Basarah, Megawati said that she would stop by on February 7.

Megawati then introduced her son M. Prananda Prabowo. The dialogue continued and to further soften the atmosphere, Saeed asked if Megawati loved her son more or preferred her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

When asked, Megawati laughed, calling it a secret.

However, Saeed again gave an excuse for why he suspected Megawati to love her grandchildren and great-grandchildren more than her children.

"They love you more because their parents must be very disciplined," said the Special Envoy for Economic Affairs to the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, while smiling.

Not wanting to lose, Megawati asked how many children Saeed had. And he answered that his 5 children loved his mother more than him and his wife because his mother liked to fulfill the wishes of her grandchildren, including giving chocolate, which was the children's favorite. They also laughed together.

Megawati also introduced the term Bung Karno which is attached to the title of the first President of the Republic of Indonesia, Soekarno.

"People who call with bung are usually calls from the heart," explained Megawati.