President Prabowo Subianto to Visit Malaysia
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto is scheduled to travel to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Sunday evening to pay a courtesy visit to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as part of a gesture of goodwill in conjunction with the celebration of Eid al-Fitr.
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, speaking to reporters in Jakarta on Sunday, said the visit reflects President Prabowo’s deep respect and longstanding friendship with Prime Minister Anwar, whom he regards as a senior and highly experienced leader in the ASEAN region.
“President Prabowo holds immense respect for PM Anwar, a senior and seasoned leader in ASEAN, who is older and came to power before Mr. President. They share a lasting friendship,” Wijaya stated.
According to Wijaya, who will accompany the President during the visit, Prabowo is expected to return to Jakarta later the same evening following his meeting with the Malaysian leader.
When asked whether the two leaders would discuss the recent import tariff policy announced by United States President Donald Trump, Wijaya refrained from providing specific details, merely noting, “These two leaders will talk about numerous things.”
Earlier this week, President Prabowo and Prime Minister Anwar joined a virtual conference with Brunei Darussalam’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. The regional leaders discussed President Trump’s recent tariff policy and exchanged views on the collective response of Southeast Asian nations.
“We exchanged views and coordinated a collective response to the reciprocal tariffs rolled out by the United States,” PM Anwar posted on his official social media account, as cited on Saturday (April 5).
Anwar further revealed that ASEAN economic ministers are scheduled to meet next week to formulate a coordinated regional stance on the matter.
“Next week’s ASEAN economic ministers’ meeting will continue deliberations on this matter and seek the best possible solution for all member states,” he noted.
The policy, announced by President Trump on April 2, involves a phased implementation of tariffs, starting with a universal 10 percent tariff on all countries beginning April 5. This will be followed by the imposition of country-specific reciprocal tariffs from April 9.
Indonesia is set to face a 32 percent tariff, while the Philippines will be subject to 17 percent, Singapore 10 percent, Malaysia 24 percent, Cambodia 49 percent, Thailand 36 percent, and Vietnam 46 percent.
On Friday (April 4), Prime Minister Anwar hosted Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto in Kuala Lumpur. During the meeting, Hartarto underscored the need for unity among ASEAN member states in addressing the potential economic impacts of the U.S. tariffs.
“The 10 ASEAN countries must synchronize their response and remain cohesive in the face of this significant economic development,” Hartarto emphasized.
The brief visit by President Prabowo to Kuala Lumpur is expected to further reinforce bilateral ties between Indonesia and Malaysia while enabling both leaders to engage in timely regional consultations during a pivotal moment for ASEAN economic diplomacy.
