"ASEAN needs to increase intelligence cooperation and strengthen the laws," Jokowi said.
Kuala Lumpur (ANTARA News) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has called for increased cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members in the field of intelligence, and strengthening of laws in the wake of recent violent incidents.

"ASEAN needs to increase intelligence cooperation and strengthen the laws," he said while intervening in the 27th ASEAN Plenary Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday.

In the past few days the world had been shocked by violent actions in a number of countries, he said.

In connection with that he called for better cooperation in the implementation of the ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism.

On the occasion President Jokowi, as he is also called, also highlighted handling of irregular migration and the South China Sea issue.

Peace and security must be created in the South China Sea and international laws must be respected, he said.

On the recent forest fires in Indonesia, President Jokowi said that the Indonesian government had paid serious attention to the problem.

"As the president of the Republic of Indonesia I have paid a lot of attention to controlling the forest fires that have been made worse by the El Nino effect," he said.

The Indonesian government has taken all efforts to fight the fires from land as well as air, involving more than 30,000 personnel, and has also conducted weather modification, while spreading 325 tons of salt to seed clouds to generate artificial rain using four planes, he said.

Water bombings have also been conducted involving 23 helicopters and 120 million tons of water, while several countries including Singapore and Malaysia have also offered assistance in these efforts, he said.

Law enforcement has been carried out, and for the future he has prepared various important steps including making a One Map Policy, imposing a moratorium on peat land exploitation, reviewing licenses and restoring peat land ecosystem, he said.

"What Indonesia has experienced could also happen in other countries," he said.

In facing these difficulties as an association and a family, ASEAN must come forward in the spirit of cooperation, he said.

President Jokowi reminded that this year would be a very important moment because this year the ASEAN Community would start to be implemented.

"We will become one community and so solidarity must be put forward and cooperation be prioritized," he said.

Looking towards an ASEAN Community in 2025, it must be able to maintain its unity and centrality considering the increasing dynamics in the region, he said.

"Without ASEAN unity and centrality the region will become the target of rivalries of big powers, and in view of that ASEAN must be able to bring regional peace and stability," he said.

ASEAN must also be flexible and efficient and be based on efficient process meetings that must be continued, while the mechanism must be strengthened to respond quickly and correctly to any development in the world, the President said.

"ASEAN must be able to contribute to the settlement of world problems and ASEAN must be part of the problem solvers," he said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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