Indonesia lures Middle East as Trump worries Muslim nations

Jakarta

AS one of Asia's fastest-growing economies and the most populous Muslim nation in the world, Indonesia is billing itself as a natural home for Middle Eastern investment at a time when the US is turning inwards.

With a landmark visit by Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz to South-east Asia winding down this week, Indonesia has won pledges of US$1 billion in development finance and signed agreements to cut trade barriers. That's on top of a US$6 billion oil refinery deal between Saudi Aramco and Indonesia's PT Pertamina signed in December.