T

he State Palace has said the recent beheading of a convicted Indonesian migrant worker by Saudi Arabian authorities will not alter the established diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Jakarta was recently “shocked” by the news that Riyadh had executed M. Zaini Misrin, an Indonesian driver convicted of murdering his employer, last Sunday in Mecca without any prior notification sent to Indonesian officials.

Presidential spokesperson Johan Budi Sapto Prabowo said President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo had already assigned the Foreign Ministry, through the Indonesian Ambassador for Saudi Arabia, to straighten things out with the Islamic kingdom.

When asked how the incident would affect diplomatic ties between the two countries, Johan maintained that Indonesia and Saudi Arabia had close relations, as shown by King Salman during his official visit to Indonesia in March last year.

“I think that the conclusion that suggests [the recent execution] will be ‘correcting’ the relations goes too far,” Johan told journalists on Tuesday.

Johan admitted that the beheading of Zaini was not carried out accordingly, given that in usual circumstances, Riyadh would give prior notification before the execution took place. However, he said the question on what detailed measures would be taken by Indonesia must be directed to the Foreign Ministry.