Anwar Hails Prabowo As Loyal Friend
KUALA LUMPUR – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim views Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto as a loyal friend who stood by during good and bad times. Anwar thinks Prabowo is one of the few individuals whose greatness and sincerity can be genuinely acknowledged.
Anwar stated that although Prabowo’s sincerity in friendship had elicited some discomfort and anger from certain quarters, the Indonesian president had never forsaken him. Prabowo extended his highest gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, for conferring him a high honor and Anwar for the invitation to Malaysia.
Prabowo has many emotional ties with Malaysia, which is why he often visits Malaysia. However, as the President, it’s not as easy or simple as before. There are now many protocols to follow. For Prabowo, Malaysia and Indonesia share many mutual interests.
They are both founding members of Asean and share historical ties, familial connections, cultural bonds and even ethnic links. Many leaders in Malaysia still have family members in Indonesia. This symbolises the close relationship between Prabowo and Malaysia, as well as between Prabowo and the Johor royal family.
Prabowo’s relationship with Malaysia is truly meaningful, and whenever he visits, it feels like coming home. The state visit highlights the strong and special friendship between Malaysia and Indonesia, and it marks the first state visit by a foreign Head of State since the installation of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim as King of Malaysia.
It also marks Prabowo’s first state visit to a South-East Asian country since his inauguration as President of the Republic of Indonesia on October 20 last year. As close neighbours with strong ties and founding members of Asean, this state visit reflects the commitment of both countries to elevate bilateral relations to a higher level for the prosperity and progress of both nations and the region at large.
Malaysia and Indonesia’s strategic ties encompass comprehensive cooperation in a wide range of areas, including politics, economy, defence, interconnectivity, education, and socio-cultural issues. From January to November last year, total bilateral trade between the two countries reached RM106.06bil, an increase from RM101.99 bil during the same period in 2023.
In 2023, Indonesia was Malaysia’s eighth-largest trading partner globally and the third-largest within Asean, with a total trade volume of RM111.21bil.