Prabowo Recounts Fiji PM Rabuka's Emotional Moment While Visiting Indonesia

RRI.CO.ID, Nganjuk - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, recounted testimony from Fiji’s PM Sitiveni Rabuka during his visit to Indonesia in 2025. He told the story while inaugurating a museum dedicated to Indonesian labor activist Marsinah in Nganjuk Regency, East Java, on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Prabowo conveyed Rabuka became emotional and shed tears. He claimed Rabuka said he had “never” received a state welcoming ceremony as grand as the one held by Indonesia.

"He said, 'Your Excellency, during my time as Prime Minister of Fiji... I have never received a welcome like this. I am deeply touched," Prabowo said.

"Why? Because my country is very small,” Prabowo continued, imitating Rabuka's saying.

Prabowo earlier said that Indonesia's foreign policy remains "free and active", as he considered "a thousand friends are too few, one enemy is too many". He said it was proof that Indonesia treats Fiji the same as larger countries, even though Fiji has only about 900,000 people.

"That is Indonesia. We show respect to all. Our teachings, the teachings of our kiai (Islamic scholars) and our elders, are to respect our parents, respect our teachers, and respect our guests," he said.

Rabuka served as Prime Minister of Fiji from 1992 to 1999, and again since 2022. His visit to Indonesia on Thursday, April 24, 2025, was his first, with 70 cavalry and 17 motorcyclists escorting him to the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, and welcomed by 200 students waving both Pacific nations' flags.

At the meeting, Indonesia is committed to supporting the agricultural training center in Rakiraki. Prabowo has also opened up broader opportunities for Fijian youth to pursue vocational, technical, and agricultural training in Indonesia.

"We are also open to joint military training on land, sea, and air," Prabowo said. PM Rabuka appreciated the Indonesian government's assistance to Fiji at the time. He hoped that cooperation with Indonesia would be expanded to include health, research, and education.

"We greatly appreciate your contribution. We also hope to strengthen cooperation in medicine, research, and education. We are grateful for what you have done for us in the past, and I am fortunate to have done so," he said.