Indonesian ambassador Hermono has dismissed rumours that President Prabowo Subianto cut short his trip to Malaysia for the 47th ASEAN Summit because state broadcaster RTM mistakenly identified him as former president Joko Widodo.
He told FMT that foreign ministry spokesman Yvonne Mewengkang had already said Prabowo returned to Jakarta yesterday due to a “tight domestic agenda”, adding it had nothing to do with the RTM misnaming.
The communications ministry’s broadcasting department apologised on Sunday after an RTM commentator misnamed Prabowo during live coverage of the summit in Kuala Lumpur, and also wrongly named the prime ministers of Singapore and Thailand.
The department said RTM would strengthen editorial controls and fact-checking.
A recording of the live telecast showed Prabowo arriving at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre and being welcomed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The Jakarta Post reported that while he initially planned to stay for the full three-day summit, he decided to leave yesterday afternoon after attending the 26th ASEAN–South Korea Summit, the 28th ASEAN Plus Three Summit and a reception marking Timor-Leste’s entry into ASEAN.
Following his departure, Prabowo has been represented by several Cabinet ministers, including foreign minister Sugiono and coordinating economy minister Airlangga Hartarto.
He attended the ASEAN–US Summit on Sunday, where US President Donald Trump reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific.
At the ASEAN Plus Three Summit, Prabowo called for deeper cooperation and “constructive” competition amid global uncertainties. During the ASEAN leaders’ retreat, he urged more concrete steps to address regional crises, including Myanmar.
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