Speaking at a joint press conference with President Prabowo at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Friday, Prime Minister Anwar expressed support for President Prabowo's commitment to boosting bilateral investment as a shared step to meet global challenges.
“In addressing tariff-related issues and tensions in international relations, our strength lies in domestic resilience, bilateral cooperation, and the collective power of ASEAN. These must be built on a shared spirit among our leaders,” Anwar said.
He stressed the importance of maintaining constant communication with President Prabowo to ensure alignment on a wide range of international issues, underscoring the need for close coordination to navigate current economic headwinds.
Both countries are also working to strengthen their ties as they engage in ongoing negotiations with the United States over reciprocal tariff arrangements.
“Regarding the tariff negotiations, although there are bilateral interests, we continue to engage closely so that we can achieve the best possible outcomes in addressing these issues,” Anwar added.
Although the visit was not an official state trip, Prime Minister Anwar's presence at the palace was considered a reciprocal gesture following President Prabowo's visit to Malaysia in late January this year. During that visit, Prabowo attended the 46th ASEAN Summit, the 2nd ASEAN-GCC Summit, and the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit in Kuala Lumpur.
Indonesia remains Malaysia's sixth-largest global trading partner and its second largest within Southeast Asia as of 2024. Bilateral trade between the neighboring countries reached USD 25.5 billion in 2024, marking a 4.5 percent increase from USD 24.39 billion in 2023.
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Translator: Mentari Dwi/Genta Tenri, Kuntum Khaira Riswan
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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