Prabowo Apologizes to New Ambassadors for Delayed Credential Reception

President Prabowo Subianto formally received the letters of credence from eight new ambassadors Monday, but not without an apology for the delay in the official ceremony. The closed-door event at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta saw the president express regret for the tardiness, citing his exceptionally busy schedule since taking office.

"The President has conveyed, first, he apologized for this delay to all ambassadors," said Vice Foreign Minister Anis Matta, who attended the ceremony. Matta explained that the delay stemmed from Prabowo's demanding agenda, which has required his full concentration on pressing global matters. He assured that there was no intention to postpone the credentialing process.

According to Matta, the ambassadors responded positively to the apology, understanding the circumstances. The meeting also included discussions where the ambassadors conveyed messages from their respective heads of state to President Prabowo. The atmosphere was described as very good, enhanced by the sharing of coffee originating from the president's residence in Hambalang, Bogor.

The credentialing ceremony was held privately for technical reasons, which Matta did not elaborate on, stating it was a routine matter. Eight ambassadors presented their credentials: from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, the Czech Republic, Greece, Saint Lucia, South Korea, Palestine, and Lebanon. Matta indicated that schedules for several other ambassadors are still being arranged and will be processed soon.

This delay had previously drawn criticism from Dino Patti Djalal, a former deputy foreign minister, who noted that at least 17 prospective ambassadors had been waiting for months, with some facing up to an eight-month wait. He expressed concern that such delays could negatively impact Indonesia's diplomatic image.

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Menurut Dino, sedikitnya 17 calon dubes sudah berbulan-bulan menunggu giliran menyerahkan kredensial mereka.