President Prabowo Subianto and Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi exchanged views on a range of issues—including Gaza and U.S. import tariffs—during their meeting at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The two leaders spent nearly two hours, from 3:34 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. local time, in the Jepara Room, discussing key international and bilateral matters.
“I am grateful to have been visited by Zahid Hamidi, the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, who is also my old friend. So, the meeting had a nostalgic feel,” President Prabowo told the media after the closed-door talks.
While emphasizing the warm and cordial nature of the meeting, the Indonesian leader noted that it also addressed a number of significant bilateral and global economic and geopolitical topics.
“We shared a lot of laughter. Although the meeting was nostalgic, we also took the opportunity to discuss global issues, economic matters, and the ongoing cooperation between Malaysia and Indonesia,” he said.
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On the global economic front, Prabowo referenced the "reciprocal tariffs" imposed by the United States during President Donald Trump’s administration.
“How could we overlook this issue, when the world is currently revolving around it?” he responded, when asked whether the tariff war was among the topics discussed.
Turning to humanitarian issues, the President confirmed that the situation in Gaza was a key point in the talks with his Malaysian counterpart.
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“That’s understandable, given that our nation is predominantly Muslim,” he remarked.
Hamidi began his official visit to Indonesia on Sunday (April 20, 2025). The following day, he was received by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka at his palace in Jakarta, where the two leaders discussed strategic issues related to bilateral partnerships across various sectors.
Later the same day, the Malaysian deputy prime minister also met with Suharyanto, head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), to strengthen coordination for more effective aid distribution to disaster-affected communities across Southeast Asia.
