ASEAN Leaders Arrive in Labuan Bajo for 42nd ASEAN Summit
PM of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong and his spouse Ho Ching are welcomed by Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno upon arrival in Labuan Bajo, Tuesday (05/09). (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat)
Several ASEAN leaders arrived in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara province on Tuesday (05/09) for the 42nd ASEAN Summit.
The Prime Minister (PM) of Cambodia Hun Sen and his spouse Bun Rany Hun Sen were the first to arrive at Komodo International Airport. They arrived at approximately 13.00 WITA (Central Indonesia Time) and were welcomed by Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin.
Afterward, the PM of Timor-Leste Taur Matan Ruak and PM of Vietnam Phạm Minh Chính arrived separately and were respectively welcomed by Minister of Communications and Informatics Johnny G. Plate and Minister of Health.
The fourth to arrive were the PM of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim and his spouse Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, who were welcomed by Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi.
Also welcomed by Minister of Transportation Budi were the Laotian PM Sonexay Siphandone and his spouse Vandala Siphandone as well as the President of the Philippines Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and his spouse Louise Araneta-Marcos.
The last to arrive was the Singaporean PM Lee Hsien Loong who came with his spouse Ho Ching. They were welcomed by Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahudin Uno.
Previously, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno L. P. Marsudi in her press statement at Bintang Flores Hotel on Sunday (05/07) pointed out that the 42nd ASEAN Summit will be attended by eight ASEAN leaders, the Secretary-General of ASEAN, and the PM of Timor-Leste.
“Thailand stated that they could not attend it due to the general election in Thailand. On May 14, Thailand will carry out a general election. Thus, the Prime Minister shall not attend it. The Deputy Prime Minister will take his place instead. As for Myanmar, as per the ASEAN leaders’ prior decision, we invited a non-political level representative of Myanmar, not their leader,” she said.
“So those who have confirmed are eight ASEAN leaders, the Secretary-General of ASEAN, and the Prime Minister of Timor-Leste because Timor-Leste has in principle become a member country of ASEAN,” Retno remarked. (TGH/UN) (DH/LW)
