Prabowo and Singapore PM Wong Agree to Keep Malacca Strait Open Under UNCLOS

President Prabowo Subianto and Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong agreed on Monday that the Malacca and Singapore Straits must remain open shipping lanes as stipulated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The agreement was reached during a Leaders’ Retreat at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.

The discussion on shipping and trade routes in the Malacca Strait was a key topic at this year’s retreat, alongside other issues including developments in the Middle East. ‘We discussed developments in the Middle East and their impact on Singapore, particularly concerning the Malacca Strait. Singapore and Indonesia, as littoral states, share a strategic interest,’ PM Wong said during a joint press statement with President Prabowo.

PM Wong added that both Indonesia and Singapore have a common interest in upholding the freedom of navigation and ensuring that maritime trade routes remain open in accordance with UNCLOS provisions. ‘So, President Prabowo and I agreed to do our respective parts, together with other littoral states, to ensure the Malacca and Singapore Straits remain safe, open, and usable by all parties,’ he said.

President Prabowo also reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to maintaining the Malacca Strait as a safe and open shipping lane for all. ‘We reaffirm the stance of Indonesia and Singapore regarding the Malacca Strait. Indonesia and Singapore are countries that directly border the Malacca Strait. We have an interest in keeping the Malacca Strait a free shipping lane for all parties,’ Prabowo stated.

Prabowo noted that current threats to the strait extend beyond security and defence issues such as piracy or maritime accidents to include pollution. He stressed that close cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore is essential to address these threats. ‘We will continue to coordinate with Malaysia and Thailand to ensure, in accordance with UNCLOS 1982, that the Malacca Strait will always be open to all, safe, and accessible to anyone who needs access. I believe that is our firm stance, and I assured our friends in Singapore of this,’ President Prabowo said.