The Saudi Channel Al Arabiya recently mocked Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto following his congratulatory phone call with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, highlighting the interaction in a way that quickly stirred public debate.
The Saudi-owned news channel posted a video of the call, originally shared by Subianto’s official account, with the caption, “The Indonesian president appears visibly nervous during his call with Trump to congratulate him on his election victory.”
Activists quickly responded, condemning Al Arabiya’s approach as a provocation against the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, which also holds close ties with Saudi Arabia as a fellow G20 member.
Some activists speculated that Al Arabiya might eventually remove the video and hold those responsible for posting it accountable. This speculation comes on the heels of another recent controversy involving MBC, which aired a report labeling Palestinian resistance leaders as “terrorists.” The backlash led to the video’s removal and disciplinary action against the responsible parties.
During the call, Trump expressed high regard for President Subianto, complimenting his English and expressing his eagerness to collaborate with him in the near future.
Notably, Prabowo Subianto, a retired general with nationalist affiliations, was elected as Indonesia’s president at the end of last month.
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