Prabowo Subianto, the newly elected President of Indonesia for the 2024-2029 term, is believed to bring greater influence to Indonesia on the international stage while leading the country. This analysis was thoroughly discussed and published by the Singaporean media, The Straits Times, in an article titled “Prabowo has big plans for Indonesia on the world stage,” released on Saturday (21/9).
“Indonesia, perhaps unwittingly, has also chosen a new de facto foreign minister. In the seven months since winning about 59 percent of around 200 million votes, Mr. Prabowo has visited more than 10 countries, including Singapore, China, Japan, Russia, and Australia,” The Straits Times wrote on Saturday.
Recently, Prabowo has been conducting working visits to several countries as the Minister of Defense, but he is also known as the future President of Indonesia.
Indonesian citizens interviewed by The Straits Times in the article expressed their anticipation for Prabowo’s presidency, noting that Prabowo has the “right focus” in developing Indonesia’s role in the world.
“By being proactive on the international stage, Mr. Prabowo is expected to facilitate easier communication between Indonesia and other countries, as well as to act as a mediator in conflict resolution if needed,” as quoted from The Straits Times.
Furthermore, experts and other members of society believe that Prabowo will prioritize foreign policy to enhance Indonesia’s global position.
“Experts and ordinary Indonesian citizens believe that when he takes office on October 20, this 72-year-old man will be a president with a strong focus on foreign policy, aimed at boosting Indonesia’s global position,” The Straits Times reported.
In addition to diplomatic meetings with various world leaders, Prabowo is also active on the global stage.
The Straits Times noted that Prabowo had criticized Western countries for the conflict between Israel and Palestine. He also attended and spoke at a High-Level Conference in Gaza on June 11, 2024.
“His stance on Gaza remains strong, and in June, Prabowo drew attention for attending a high-level humanitarian conference in Gaza,” The Straits Times stated.
Prabowo has also been vocal in supporting Palestine by offering to evacuate a total of 1,000 patients from Gaza to Indonesia and by providing Palestinian children the opportunity to study at Islamic boarding schools in East Java.
Julia Lau, a senior fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, mentioned in the article that Prabowo would make Indonesia more actively involved in foreign policy.
“Mr. Prabowo still needs a competent Ministry of Foreign Affairs; he will have a ‘significant impact’ on Indonesia’s future foreign policy direction,” Lau said.
However, the article also noted that the public still expects Prabowo to fulfill his political promises from the campaign trail and prove to his critics that he is not just making empty promises but taking real actions. (RR)
Source: straitstimes.com
