REGIONAL AND GLOBAL MATTERS
Both leaders also discussed regional and global affairs during Monday’s meetings.
“We expressed deep concern over the situation in Gaza and the escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict,” said Mr Prabowo.
“We emphasised the importance of peaceful solution negotiation, and we call for an immediate ceasefire.”
He added that both sides agreed that efforts must continue to be focused towards achieving engagement and a peaceful outcome in Myanmar.
“As founding members of ASEAN, we will continue to work closely with our fellow ASEAN member states to strengthen our region and to uphold the rules-based multilateral system,” said Mr Wong.
He added that Singapore supports Indonesia’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Indonesia had in September applied to join the trading bloc, of which Singapore is a founding member.
“We are in the midst of profound global change, but for nearly 60 years, Indonesia and Singapore have stood shoulder to shoulder as partners in the face of multiple challenges,” said Mr Wong.
He also took stock of the Expanded Framework Agreements (EFA) between both sides – on key areas of airspace management, defence and extradition – which entered into force in March last year.
Both countries have signed a joint update on defence cooperation, while the Flight Information Region agreement has been successfully implemented, said Mr Wong.
“Indonesian personnel are stationed in Singapore. We welcome them, and they are working smoothly with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore to ensure safe and efficient traffic and air traffic management,” he said.
Mr Wong added that the first case under the extradition treaty is now before the Singapore courts, made possible through the close collaboration between both sides’ legal and law enforcement agencies.
“The successful implementation of the three agreements is testament to Singapore and Indonesia’s ability to work through complicated issues with respect and trust for one another,” said Mr Wong.
He said that both countries’ trade and investment links remain strong, noting that Singapore has been Indonesia’s top source of foreign investments for more than a decade. Last year, Singapore accounted for over a third of foreign investment into Indonesia, said Mr Wong.
He noted the importance of people-to-people exchanges between both sides, including internship opportunities for youths to work in one another’s countries. This would be enabled by improvements in connectivity between both countries, said Mr Wong.
NAMING ORCHID AFTER LATE MOTHER
On Monday, Mr Prabowo received a ceremonial welcome at Parliament House and called on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
He was also presented with a new orchid hybrid, the Paraphalanthe Dora Sigar Soemitro, named after his late mother.
“I was given the honour of nominating a name, and I nominated the name of my mother to give respect to her for having raised me, for having raised maybe a difficult boy in his younger days, but finally, he became president of Indonesia,” said Mr Prabowo.
Mr Tharman then hosted a state banquet for his Indonesian counterpart at the Raffles Hotel.
In his speech during the lunch, Mr Tharman said that Singapore and Indonesia have “opened a new era in our relationship” over the past few years.
“But there is more that we can and must do together. Under Pak President’s leadership, we are now making bold strides to push the frontiers of cooperation, such as in the green economy, manufacturing, digitalisation, and education,” he said.
“There is much potential in each of the areas of cooperation that our governments have embarked on.”
Mr Tharman added that both sides can also work together as founding members of ASEAN, to blaze a path forward for the regional bloc.
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