House Commission I Approves Defence Cooperation with Turkey and Malaysia

Jakarta (ANTARA) - All factions within the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission I approved two bills to ratify defence cooperation with Turkey and Malaysia during a working meeting with the government at the Parliament Complex in Jakarta on Wednesday. Commission I Chairman Utut Adianto stated that the commission-level approval is expected to facilitate the implementation of defence cooperation with the two partner nations once a stronger legal foundation is in place. “The ratification process has proceeded smoothly. Hopefully, with this ratification, the programmes can run more smoothly based on the strength of the law,” Utut said. The two approved bills concern the ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Government of the Republic of Turkey on Cooperation in the Field of Defence, and the ratification of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Government of Malaysia on Defence Cooperation. According to Utut, the defence cooperation agreement with Malaysia was signed on 9 August 2022, while the agreement with Turkey was signed on 14 December 2022. Prior to the level I discussion, Commission I held a public hearing on 17 June 2026 with several professors, academics, and think tanks to gather input on the two bills. The results of the commission-level approval will subsequently be brought to a DPR plenary session for level II approval. During the working meeting, Deputy Minister of Defence Donny Ermawan explained that the defence cooperation with Turkey and Malaysia was developed based on the principles of equality, mutual benefit, and respect for each country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He noted that the two agreements could not yet be enforced as they were still awaiting the completion of domestic legal procedures by each party. Therefore, the DPR’s approval of the two ratification bills represents a crucial step for the agreements to enter into force and be implemented.