Malaysian Prime Minister and Indonesian President Discuss Response Measures to Middle East War Impact

Prime Minister Anwar Visits Jakarta
"Need for Principle-Based Regional Integration"

As the Middle East war continues to drag on, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.

According to Indonesia's Antara News Agency and other sources on March 28 (local time), Prime Minister Anwar visited the Indonesian capital Jakarta the previous afternoon and held talks with President Prabowo at the Merdeka Presidential Palace.

This meeting was arranged to enhance cooperation amid growing uncertainty in the global economy, such as surging international oil prices, due to the recent Middle East war between the United States and Iran. Previously, the two leaders had a phone conversation on March 23 to discuss the impact of the Middle East war.

The Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "This special visit was made to discuss the impact of the conflict on regional stability and the global economy, especially its effects on Malaysia and Indonesia."

After the meeting, Prime Minister Anwar emphasized on social media that "global uncertainty is increasing," and stressed the need for "principle-based regional integration to maintain peace, ensure security, and enhance economic resilience" between the two countries.

He added, "The two leaders agreed to step up diplomatic efforts to seek peaceful and sustainable solutions, create room for negotiations to resolve the (Middle East) conflict, and protect civilian lives."

Prime Minister Anwar also emphasized that the continuity of global supply chains and strategic trade routes, including the Strait of Hormuz, must not be disrupted.

President Prabowo also stated, "During this meeting, the two countries reaffirmed their commitment to mitigating the economic impact of various conflicts."

With the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key hub for energy transportation, causing international oil prices to soar, Malaysia and Indonesia are seeking ways to reduce fuel consumption. This is because high oil prices pose a risk of rapidly driving up inflation.

Malaysia has decided to reduce the monthly gasoline allocation per person from 300 liters to 200 liters starting next month to prevent hoarding and smuggling of government-subsidized fuel. This measure comes as fuel subsidy spending has recently increased sharply.

Indonesia is also working on measures to curb fuel consumption and expand renewable energy production, including solar power. The goal is to save 80 trillion rupiah (about 7.072 trillion won) in the budget. Indonesia is also considering fuel-saving measures such as implementing remote work once a week in public sector institutions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.