Singapore, Indonesia looking to cooperate in energy, food security: PM Wong
Singapore remains deeply invested in Indonesia’s success, he tells Prabowo in his introductory visit to Jakarta
[JAKARTA] Singapore and Indonesia are looking to cooperate in energy security and sustainability, among several areas aligned to Indonesia’s priorities, the city-state’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said during his introductory visit to Jakarta on Wednesday (Nov 6).
“This can be a new growth engine for both our countries, especially when we realise cross-border energy exports, as well as cross-border carbon capture and storage projects in the coming years,” he said in a joint press conference with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
Speaking in Bahasa Indonesia, Prabowo said they discussed ongoing cooperation projects such as cross-border electricity interconnection, the joint development of green hydrogen in Sumatra, and solar power plants.
Food security is another priority for the largest economy in South-east Asia. Here, both countries are discussing the exchange of best practices and technologies so both sides gain from cooperation in the agriculture and food sectors, said PM Wong.
Prabowo said both leaders agreed to accelerate the completion of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation in food security and agricultural technology.
In a separate interview with Singapore media later that day, PM Wong elaborated on how Singapore could lend its expertise in food technology, saying: “It’s not as though we have huge food farms... But we do have some food technology, especially with regard to urban farming or ... how to make some crops more resilient, more productive in terms of yield.”
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Beyond the sharing of expertise, the potential MOU may cover food imports and exports, and both parties are working towards a mutual understanding of food standards to spur such trade.
“We import so much of our food, and we will be happy to see how we can continue to diversify our food imports, including importing more food options from Indonesia,” PM Wong told reporters.
Singapore is also happy to support Indonesia’s plans for human capital development, such as through the ramping up of training and exchanges for students, teachers, officials and young professionals, he said.
A new chapter
PM Wong, who took the reins in May, is the first foreign leader to meet Prabowo since the Indonesian leader’s inauguration on Oct 20. This is the fourth time that both leaders have met this year – thrice in Indonesia and once in Singapore.
PM Wong said he is honoured to be the first guest whom Prabowo has received as president, adding that he is inspired by the latter’s determination to lead the country to an even brighter future.
“We want Indonesia to succeed, and Singapore remains deeply invested in Indonesia’s success.”
He noted that he and Prabowo have both benefited from the work of their predecessors, who laid a strong foundation in bringing the two countries together and resolving longstanding issues.
“As new leaders now, both of us are able to write a new chapter in our bilateral ties and take the relationship to even greater heights,” he said.
Calling PM Wong’s visit a meaningful one, Prabowo said Singapore is one of Indonesia’s closest neighbours and a “very important partner” with whom Indonesia shares good cooperation and similar views. He hoped the visit would create momentum to further improve cooperation, especially in strategic sectors.
Both leaders will continue to facilitate trade and investment flows while seeking cooperation in new areas, such as digital technologies and healthcare, PM Wong said.
Prabowo noted that they discussed efforts to increase Singapore’s investment in Indonesia in priority sectors such as renewable energy, industrial downstreaming, food security, digital and semiconductors, health and the Nusantara capital city (IKN).
“I hope that Singapore can facilitate wider market access for Indonesian products, including through harmonisation of regulations and standards,” he said.
On the IKN project, PM Wong told Indonesian media on Tuesday evening that the Singapore government is happy to support the project under the Prabowo administration, as it also did under former president Joko Widodo’s leadership.
However, while the Singapore government is keen to exchange best practices and share ideas on urban planning, investments are up to the private sector, he added. “Investments are done by businesses, and businesses have to decide, on a commercial basis, whether or not to invest on their own.”
He noted that a business delegation from Singapore visited Nusantara last year, and that businesses are likely to be keen to invest as the Indonesian government sets out clearer plans for the IKN’s future development.
Defence and geopolitics
On the military front, PM Wong thanked Prabowo for his leadership as defence minister in seeing through the bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA), noting that this would allow the two militaries to work even more closely together.
The two countries are considering ways to “move beyond” the DCA for even closer cooperation on the defence and security front, PM Wong told Singapore reporters separately.
Both Singapore and Indonesia share “many common strategic perspectives” of the world, he said at the joint press conference, adding that both countries “want to be friends to all”.
“We both want to be able to have close ties with America, as well as China,” he said. “We will both exercise active and independent foreign policies towards that effect, in order to achieve mutual benefit, mutual interest and importantly, peace, stability and prosperity for ourselves and for South-east Asia.”
He added that both leaders hope their strong bilateral ties will be a pathfinder to accelerate Asean integration.
Asked at the Singapore media wrap for his views on Indonesia’s interest in joining Brics – an alliance consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – PM Wong said Singapore keeps an open mind.
While there are different groupings around the world, Indonesia and Singapore see the “paramount importance” of Asean, he added. “Because this is our region and we want therefore to continue to find ways to strengthen Asean integration and make Asean stronger and more united.”
PM Wong started his day on Wednesday by laying a wreath for national heroes at the Kalibata Heroes’ Cemetery in South Jakarta. This was followed by a welcome ceremony at the presidential palace, Istana Merdeka.
This was followed by several rounds of meetings with various Indonesian leaders. Shortly after lunch, he also met Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
Noting that the vice-president typically focuses on domestic issues, PM Wong later told Singapore reporters he is trying to understand Gibran’s focus areas, as well as possible areas they could work together on.
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