Prabowo: There Are Fewer Disputes in the Natuna Sea Now

President Prabowo Subianto says that there are currently no more disputes between several countries in the North Natuna Sea because he has implemented a “good neighbour” policy with countries in the region.

Prabowo emphasized that this good neighbour policy is an implementation of the free and active foreign policy rooted in the 1945 Constitution.

“I initiated it when I became President, Indonesia’s foreign policy is a free and active policy, non-aligned, and Indonesia wants to be a good neighbour, we want to be the good neighbour, and our policy is the good neighbour policy. So, I improved relations with Singapore, agreements that had been unresolved for decades, we resolved them,” said Prabowo in Nganjuk, East Java, Saturday (16/5) as quoted by Antara.

“With Vietnam, we resolved it. With China, we improved it. Thank God, now there are fewer disputes in the Natuna Sea. With Malaysia, I am trying. Hopefully, we can resolve it well, with PNG we are good, with Australia we are good, all neighbours, with Thailand we are good,” he continued.

Prabowo said that his foreign policy was part of the thoughts of previous figures, starting from Proclamation Father Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta, then there was also Sutan Sjahrir.

“Actually, I learned a lot from Bung Karno’s teachings. Sorry, Bung Karno does not belong to one party alone. Bung Karno belongs to all Indonesian people. Bung Karno, Bung Hatta, belong to all the people, Sjahrir, all of them. So, that is our greatness, if we want to move forward,” he said.

“So, we take strength from all parties. That’s what makes Indonesia great. That’s why many regions are often at war. Indonesia, free and active, 1,000 friends are not enough, one enemy is too many. We respect everyone,” he said.

Prabowo then gave an example of how Indonesia treats its partner countries, regardless of how large or small the country is. According to the President, Indonesia never differentiates treatment towards its friendly countries.

“One time, I received the Prime Minister of Fiji at the Merdeka Palace. I received an official visit. He entered my office after the ceremony. In front of reporters, he shed tears. (The Fijian PM said to President Prabowo): Your Excellency, during my time as Prime Minister in Fiji - he has been Prime Minister in Fiji for quite some time - I have never received such a reception. I am very touched. Why? Because my country is very small. His country only has one million people, but we treat it the same as large countries. That’s Indonesia,” he said.

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