Memories Of The 2019 Presidential Election: When Prabowo Subianto Sindir Jokowi Never Talks On The UN Stage

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is preparing to make a speech at the UN General Assembly stage. (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The presence of a head of state at the UN General Assembly is very important. His speech can be a statement of attitude related to domestic and foreign issues. This condition makes the world highlight a country. However, not all heads of state want to take part.

Joko Widodo (Jokowi), for example. The Indonesian president is often represented by the Vice President, Jusuf Kalla (JK) speaking on the UN stage. Jokowi admitted that he was too busy taking care of domestic politics. An attitude that his opponent often insinuates in the 2019 presidential election, Prabowo Subianto.

It is not easy to know the attitude of a country on national and international issues. Not all countries have free time to dig up information from other countries. This narrative makes foreign politics important.

Friendship relations between countries are often needed. However, when a country wants to reach more countries to listen to, it will require a large stage such as the UN celebration. The UN General Assembly is considered the most appropriate place to talk about a series of national and international issues.

The UN general assembly became the space for a country to state its position on the issue of world peace, human rights, and climate change. The head of state also had the opportunity to speak right in front of other leaders. An opportunity Jokowi did not take.

The 2014-2024 Indonesian president often delegated the task to his deputy, JK. Jokowi is of the view that the President and Vice President are the complete package. Everything that was discussed was the same as what Jokowi wanted.

JK did not feel burdened. He played his role well. He stated Indonesia's stance on the latest international issues. However, Jokowi did not give a delegation once or twice.

Jokowi often assigns tasks to JK. As a result, JK represented Jokowi in the UN general assembly five times (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, until 2019). JK does not have a problem. JK only revealed that the vice president's voice space is not like the President.

The President is often prioritized. However, the Vice President or other delegates recently gave a speech. Urge Jokowi to attend the UN General Assembly to appear everywhere.

Jokowi was asked to be active in an international forum in the same class as the UN celebration. However, Jokowi's ranks considered Jokowi's absence because Jokowi was focused on developing the country.

"The president has an agenda in the country which coincides with activities at the UN General Assembly. The President has assigned the Vice President to represent speaking at the UN General Assembly. This government is the Jokowi-JK government, one unit. Anyone who talks (whether Mr. Jokowi or Mr. JK), it represents the Indonesian government, there is no problem," said Special Staff for Presidential Communications, Johan Budi as quoted on the website.com, September 22, 2017.

Jokowi's absence every time the UN General Assembly was held received criticism from many parties. The harshest criticism arose from Prabowo Subianto. Prabowo, who is often the opposition to Jokowi's government, thinks he doesn't understand the way the President of Indonesia thinks.

He considers that the head of state should take the right advantage of international forums. The forum is the way for the state to express views and attitudes related to national and international issues. Mainly, support for the Palestinian struggle.

Prabowo, who was fighting with Jokowi in the 2019 presidential election, considers his opponent's performance in the international world to be reversed. This condition is because the President and Vice President have different influences when speaking at the UN General Assembly.

Take for example many heads of developed countries who always force themselves to attend the UN celebration. It is evidence that the UN General Assembly forum cannot be taken lightly. As a result, Jokowi's absence made Indonesia lose. Foreign political arenas are not utilized optimally.

Prabowo also promised that if he led Indonesia's opportunity to speak on the PBB stage, it would not be wasted. He wants the whole world to understand Indonesia's position and voice in an international forum. A promise that was later realized when he led Indonesia in September 2025.

"Prabowo is committed to attending when (later) he is asked to speak at the UN General Assembly because it is important for the head of state to give a speech directly at the UN session because it is a reflection of the attitude of one country in an official manner".

"Pak Prabowo will be different from Jokowi, who has never attended the UN general assembly, never even. Prabowo will make sure that at the UN public assembly he will convey UN messages and attitudes regarding international issues," said the Coordinator for the Spokesperson for the National Winning Board Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak as quoted on the website.com, March 30, 2019.