Prabowo and Anwar Ibrahim Discuss Trade and Investment During Bilateral Talks in Jakarta

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - President Prabowo Subianto welcomed Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday, July 29.

The meeting marked the 13th edition of the Indonesia–Malaysia Annual Consultation, the highest bilateral forum between the two neighboring Southeast Asian nations. The session covered a wide range of topics including defense, trade, investment, education, and food security.

The annual consultation has been held alternately between the two countries since 2006. However, this marks the first meeting between President Prabowo and Prime Minister Anwar since their last meeting in 2017. 

Anwar arrived in Jakarta on Monday night, July 28, marking his second official visit to Indonesia in just two months following a trip on June 26–27.

The Malaysian delegation included several key ministers and state leaders, such as Sarawak Premier Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari, Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor, and Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan.

Also in attendance were Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Zafrul Aziz, and Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.

Following the closed-door talks, Prabowo and Anwar are scheduled to deliver a joint statement.

The two leaders are also expected to witness the signing of four memorandums of understanding (MoUs) covering land border cooperation, healthcare, and information and communication technology.

According to Malaysian government data, bilateral trade between the two countries grew by 4.5 percent in 2024, from 24.39 billion US dollar (round Rp 400.1 trillion) in 2023 to 25.5 billion US dollar (round Rp 418.3 trillion).