Why Sugiono Should Listen to Dino Patti Djalal’s Domestic Warning

In the theater of international relations, there is a persistent temptation to believe that diplomacy is a craft practiced exclusively in foreign capitals, far removed from the mundane concerns of the domestic citizenry. 

Anwar Abbas

But as Indonesia’s new Foreign Minister, Sugiono, charts his course, he would do well to heed a sobering reminder from one of his predecessors: a nation’s voice abroad is only as resonant as its consensus at home.

The recent intervention by Dino Patti Djalal, a former Vice Foreign Minister and a seasoned architect of Indonesia’s global standing, was not an act of political sabotage. Rather, it was a measured plea for transparency and dialogue. 

Mr. Djalal’s core argument is that Minister Sugiono must open the gates of the Foreign Ministry to domestic stakeholders—to civil society, academics, and the public—to ensure they understand the "why" behind the "what" of our foreign policy.

The logic is as old as the republic itself. When the public understands the strategy, they become contributors to its success. When they are left in the dark, they become, at best, indifferent and, at worst, a liability. Diplomacy, after all, is not merely a series of handshakes in luxury hotels; it is the projection of a nation’s collective will.

Yet, the reaction to Mr. Djalal’s counsel from within President Prabowo’s cabinet has been distressingly defensive. To see a senior minister dismiss constructive feedback with a "my friend, right or wrong" posture is to witness a profound misunderstanding of leadership. Loyalty to a leader is a virtue; blind defense of a flawed process is a systemic risk.

In governance, we often obsess over results—the signed treaty, the joint communiqué, the investment deal. But Mr. Djalal is rightfully focused on the process. There is an inherent truth in his perspective: a transparent, communicative process inevitably leads to more robust results. 

Conversely, if a minister’s diplomacy is divorced from the domestic reality, the international community will eventually notice the disconnect. There is nothing the world laughs at more than a diplomat who speaks for a country that is not listening to him.

This is the balance Mr. Djalal seeks to protect. His critique is rooted in a desire to see Mr. Sugiono succeed, recognizing that the Minister’s success is Indonesia’s success. 

It is therefore a tragedy of the current political moment that the Minister of Human Rights responded with such hostility. It paints a portrait of an administration that is allergic to criticism and increasingly isolated from the very people it serves.

If this trend of silencing dissent continues, the damage will not be confined to the Foreign Ministry. It threatens to erode the credibility of President Prabowo’s administration as a whole. No leader, however powerful, can afford to be seen as deaf to the voices of his own people.

Minister Sugiono has a choice: he can remain behind the walls of his ministry, or he can embrace the dialogue that Mr. Djalal suggests. For the sake of Indonesia’s place in the world, one hopes he chooses the latter.

Anwar Abbas is a commentator on socio-economic and religious affairs.