Prabowo Subianto, who was elected as the President of Indonesia for 2024-2029, is considered to bring a significant influence to Indonesia on the international stage as he leads the country.
This was extensively discussed and featured by Singaporean media, The Straits Times, in an article titled “Prabowo has big plans for Indonesia on the world stage” published on Saturday (21/9).
“Indonesia has also unwittingly 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 as quoted on Saturday.
Prabowo has recently made official 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 anticipation for Prabowo’s presidency, noting that he has the “right focus” in developing Indonesia’s role in the world.
“By being proactive internationally, Mr. Prabowo is expected to make it easier for Indonesia to communicate with other countries, as well as to act as a mediator in resolving conflicts when necessary,” as cited from The Straits Times.
Furthermore, experts and other members of the community believe that Prabowo will focus on foreign policy to enhance Indonesia’s global position.
“Experts and ordinary Indonesians 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, aiming to enhance Indonesia’s global position,” The Straits Times reported.
In addition to diplomatic meetings with several world leaders, Prabowo is also actively engaged on the global stage.
The Straits Times noted that Prabowo criticized Western countries for the Israel-Palestine conflict. He also attended and spoke at the High-Level Humanitarian Conference in Gaza on June 11, 2024.
“His stance on Gaza remains firm, and in June, Prabowo gained significant attention for attending the high-level humanitarian conference in Gaza,” The Straits Times wrote.
Prabowo has been active in advocating for aid to Palestine by expressing Indonesia’s readiness to evacuate a total of 1,000 patients from Gaza to Indonesia and offering Palestinian children to study in Islamic boarding schools in East Java.
Julia Lau, a senior fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, also assessed in the article that Prabowo will make Indonesia play a more active role in foreign policy.
“Mr. Prabowo still needs a competent Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and he will have a ‘significant impact’ on Indonesia’s future foreign policy direction,” Lau said.
Nevertheless, the article also noted that the public expects Prabowo to fulfill his political promises made during the campaign and prove to his critics that he is not just making empty promises but taking real actions. (RR)
Source: straitstimes.com
