Introductory Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia and Prime Minister of Malaysia during Tête-à-Tête Meeting at Merdeka Palace, DKI Jakarta Province

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Prabowo Subianto)

Thank you, Dato’ Seri. It is good to meet you again. This has been our second meeting in one month, thank you.

First, I would like to congratulate Dato’ Seri on your leadership of ASEAN. You have successfully mediated and helped achieve a ceasefire in the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia. This is something we truly appreciate.

Thank you. We are ready to assist, wherever we are and in whatever way we can, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, not only as Prime Minister of Malaysia, but also as the current Chair of ASEAN. This is a very important breakthrough. We want ASEAN to always resolve conflicts peacefully, through amicable consultation, deliberation, and negotiation.

Prime Minister of Malaysia (Anwar Ibrahim)

So, we started from the ASEAN framework, with support from President Prabowo and the people. They know that Malaysia represents ASEAN, and this helps us apply collective pressure. So, thank you. Now, when it comes to monitoring security, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippines will take responsibility for overseeing this peace process.

President of the Republic of Indonesia (Prabowo Subianto)

Thank you. I believe we should continue building on the progress made in addressing our bilateral matters, as there are still several issues to be settled, including border-related concerns. I am optimistic that these matters can be resolved constructively. In essence, we expect to resolve issues through consultation, negotiation, and deliberation. I believe that’s our shared principle, especially since we have common roots in culture, religion, and ethnicity. (RIF/MUR)