Yerica Lai, Jakarta – Malaysia and Indonesia are seeking to align their positions in addressing the ongoing crisis triggered by the United States-Israeli war on Iran, as President Prabowo Subianto meets with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to explore ways to intensify diplomatic efforts to ease the conflict.
Prabowo hosted Anwar in a private meeting at the Presidential Palace in Central Jakarta on Friday afternoon, where the two leaders talked about recent geopolitical developments, particularly the Iran war and its impact on regional stability and the global economy as well as on both countries.
Anwar arrived at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta at around 3:45 p.m. Jakarta time, where he was greeted by Foreign Minister Sugiono, Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia Raden Dato Iman Hascarya and Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Dato Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin.
Anwar's motorcade, bearing Malaysian plates, arrived at the Palace at around 4:30 p.m., escorted by security personnel carrying Indonesian and Malaysian flags. The prime minister was welcomed by Prabowo upon arriving at the palace.
In a statement issued before the meeting, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mawengkang said Prabowo and Anwar's meeting also covered bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
"[The focus] is especially on the situation in the Middle East, as well as joint efforts through ASEAN to address the economic impact from the war on regional stability and prosperity," she said, as quoted by Kompas.com.
On his social media posts after the meeting, Anwar described Friday's meeting as "meaningful", with both leaders reaffirming the importance of strengthening regional unity to preserve peace, ensure stability and reinforce economic resilience for Malaysia and Indonesia.
"We agreed to intensify diplomatic efforts to ease tensions, protect civilian lives and create space for negotiations toward a peaceful and lasting resolution," Anwar wrote.
"At the same time, the continuity of global supply chains and strategic trade routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, must not be disrupted."
The prime minister also shared with Prabowo updates on his engagements with various world leaders as part of efforts to express solidarity, coordinate positions and assess the global impacts, particularly on energy and regional security.
Anwar's visit to Jakarta followed a phone conversation between the two leaders on Monday night, which was part of Prabowo's Idul Fitri outreach to world Muslim leaders, which included Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an.
Malaysia has also been actively engaging world leaders in efforts to deescalate tensions and pursue peace, with Anwar having phone calls with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian as well as leaders of Egypt, Turkey and Gulf countries.
Anwar also had a phone exchange with his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong on Wednesday, with both leaders discussing the risks of escalation in Iran and its impact on global oil supplies, among other issues, according to Wong's post on Facebook on Thursday.
With Southeast Asia reliant on oil imports, ASEAN has called for an immediate halt to the war, with the bloc's economic ministers stating that the spike in oil prices had already started to impact Southeast Asian economies negatively.
The war in Iran has left countries scrambling to conserve energy and shield the public from soaring fuel costs.
The Philippines, for example, declared an "energy emergency" and adopted a four-day workweek for government offices. Meanwhile, Thailand implemented remote working arrangements for nonessential public sector workers.
A day before flying to Jakarta, Anwar thanked President Pezeshkian in a televised address for allowing Malaysian oil tankers trapped in the Persian Gulf to pass the Strait of Hormuz, stating that the country is now "in the process of securing the release of the tankers and workers involved."
The US-Israeli war against Iran has halted shipments of about one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has partially closed, causing supply disruption of oil, fertilizers and other commodities.
Two Indonesian oil tankers among those remain unable to pass the strait, even as Iran moved on Thursday to allow safe passage to a handful of ships from "friendly" countries, such as Malaysia.