INDONESIA BACKS MALAYSIA'S ASEAN CHAIRMANSHIP AS NEW FOREIGN MINISTER TAKES OFFICE

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, Oct 24 (Bernama) -- Indonesia’s newly appointed Foreign Minister, Sugiono has affirmed the country’s full support for Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025.

This was stated during a bilateral meeting with the Malaysia’s Minister of Economy Rafizi Ramli on the sidelines of the BRICS Plus 2024 summit in Kazan, Russia, according to the Indonesian Foreign Ministry’s statement.

During the meeting, Sugiono expressed his appreciation for the presence of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the inauguration of the President and Vice President of Indonesia on October 20 in Jakarta.

He stressed the importance of collaboration, particularly in the fields of education and human resource development, through student exchange programmes between educational institutions in both countries.

Meanwhile, Rafizi expressed his appreciation for Indonesia’s leadership at the regional and global levels and emphasised that Indonesia’s influence is crucial for enhancing ASEAN’s role on the global stage.

The two ministers also exchanged views on regional and global dynamics, including the expansion of BRICS membership and its implications for the region’s political and economic landscape.

BRICS, an intergovernmental organisation, established by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa to address current global issues.

Meanwhile, through an update on his Instagram account (@sugiano_56), Sugiono expressed his joy at meeting Rafizi for the first time.

In the same post, Sugiono mentioned that both had discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation between Malaysia and Indonesia, including in the fields of education and human resource development.

'I also conveyed the full support of the Republic of Indonesia for Malaysia's Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025,' he said in the update.

-- BERNAMA