Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday exchanged views on bilateral trade and explored viable ways to remove barriers to further strengthen economic ties.
This was revealed by Foreign Affairs Minister Sugiono after the bilateral meeting, which took place as part of the 13th Indonesia-Malaysia Annual Consultation agenda, at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.
“During the bilateral meeting, we discussed efforts to boost the value of our trade and find immediate solutions to existing barriers, hoping to intensify bilateral ties in the trade sector,” he told the media at the palace.
He argued that it is crucial for Indonesia and Malaysia, as neighboring countries and fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), to step up trade relations, especially in light of the United States’ reciprocal tariff policy.
Speaking about regional capacity, the minister expressed confidence that ASEAN has enough strength to withstand global trade challenges.
“It should be noted that we in ASEAN find inherent strength in our combined population of 680 million, which presents huge potential as both producers and consumers. So why don’t we make the most of this potential?” Sugiono said.
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He shared that he had voiced this sentiment during the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministerial Meeting, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from July 8–11, 2025.
“Let us work together more closely to fully capitalize on the potential we have,” he stated.
The recently concluded 13th Indonesia-Malaysia Annual Consultation featured two key sessions: a one-on-one meeting between President Prabowo and PM Anwar and a working luncheon involving delegates from both countries, led by the two leaders.
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Besides Minister Sugiono, the Indonesian delegation included Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, and State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian delegates included Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, Home Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution, Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz, and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
