"Indonesian President Prabowo has high caliber, adequate education, strong managerial experience, and mature leadership. He is intellectually, emotionally, and managerially intelligent," Reza said in a special interview with ANTARA News Agency in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He said that Prabowo has positioned Indonesia as an influential middle power, with a commitment to multilateralism, good neighborliness, and active attendance at global conventions and summits.
"His leadership style is different from previous presidents, but his ideas are close to those of Soekarno, Habibie, Suharto, and Gus Dur. In the practice of foreign relations, he has his own approach," he said.
According to Reza, Prabowo displays a high level of self-confidence that reminds him of Russian President Vladimir Putin's style in international forums.
"One of his most powerful moments was his speech at the United Nations General Assembly in October when he delivered a strong message, captured the world's attention, and emphasized Indonesia's readiness to take risks for global peace," he said.
Reza said Prabowo understands Indonesia's long history of struggle since colonial times and the importance of maintaining national sovereignty.
"Therefore, when Prabowo speaks, the nation follows. They feel represented at the international level," he said.
Reza added that Prabowo understands the breadth of Indonesia's partnership network. His slogan one enemy is too many, a thousand friends are not enough is considered aligned with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's concept of a million friends without enemies.
"Prabowo has taken important elements from previous presidents and combined them with his own leadership style," he said.
Furthermore, he assessed that Prabowo made many substantial statements in short speeches at global forums such as BRICS, the Gaza Peace Summit in Egypt, and the UN General Assembly.
"Prabowo spoke about peace and security when the world was still unsure of its direction. He was the first to propose sending Indonesian troops to Gaza under a UN mandate," he said.
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Translator: Asri Mayang Sari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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