Jakarta – The sweeping re-election victories of Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in their respective parliamentary elections on Saturday should be a significant relief for President Prabowo Subianto. He can continue collaborating with the two leaders he knows in person when facing worsening global uncertainties.
The governments of neighboring countries, such as those in ASEAN, Australia and Eastern Asia, also experienced similar reassurance when President Prabowo replaced Joko "Jokowi" Widodo last October. Prabowo has repeatedly assured that his government will continue Jokowi's policies, including those on foreign affairs.
President Prabowo should act quickly to reiterate bilateral collaborations with the two countries. He should not hesitate to make bilateral visits soon because Singapore and Australia are among Indonesia's top trade and investment partners. There is an impression that Australia is always more proactive in dealing with Indonesia. This impression no longer applies amid the geopolitical and economic upheavals.
After the sweeping mandate that PM Wong received from voters on Saturday, the Indonesian side is no longer hesitant to re-boost the bilateral approach with Singapore because the new leader has won a strong mandate from the people and he will no longer be dependent on his predecessor and mentor, PM Lee Hsien Loong.
They can share joint efforts to confront the chaotic trade order because it is very clear that Trump will continue his "extortion" diplomacy to the United States' major trading partners where it continues suffering significant trade deficits.
The spirit of multilateralism, which many developing countries such as Indonesia have always exalted, has died and is now replaced by unilateralism as Trump overconfidently believes he will fully control the world with his global trade war. But Indonesia can still readjust itself by activating liberalism, which will involve its closest trading partners and neighbors.
Voters in Singapore, along with Australia's decision to make voting mandatory, reflected that they prefer to retain the same leaders regardless of their dissatisfaction with their previous track record. Wong and Albanese have been more prepared to confront the possible worst impacts of President Trump's tariff war than candidates from opposition parties.
PM Wong, who replaced Lee Hsien Loong last year, won a strong mandate from the nation with the People's Action Party's (PAP) success, winning 87 percent of the 97 parliamentary seats. The city-state leader will continue his program to eliminate economic turbulence from the ongoing trade war. Trump slapped Asia's financial hub with a 10 percent additional tariff, the lowest among the 10-member ASEAN.
According to local media, the People's Action Party (PAP) had yet to be formally declared winner, but took 65.57 percent of the vote, surpassing the 61.2 percent achieved in the 2020 contest. Opposition parties complained about the government's restrictions on their movement.
The PAP has ruled since before Singapore's 1965 independence, and for six decades the nation was ruled by Lee and his father, Lee Kuan Yew.
Meanwhile, PM Albanese's victory also demonstrated voters' decision to choose continuity rather than change. Trump's decision shocked Australians because the two countries have strong military alliances, including the newest one, Australia, the United Kingdom and the US (AUKUS). Trump has indicated that he will cancel all agreements signed by his predecessor, President Joe Biden.
Albanese's victory makes him the first Australian Prime Minister to win re-election in two decades. According to Australian news reports, he will start his second term with at least 87 seats in the 150-seat lower house.
Indonesia and Australia have a broader opportunity to increase their bilateral trade relations, as both will be affected by Trump's jingoistic acts. Indonesia should be realistic that despite their often-fluctuating relationship, the two middle-power nations are dependent on each other.
But the results of the elections in those two countries show that the people care more about domestic issues that have a direct impact on their daily life than extravagant foreign policies which can only be gained in the long term, if at all.
Congratulations to PM Wong and PM Albanese.
Source: https://www.thejakartapost.com/opinion/2025/05/05/our-neighbors-elections.htm