Prabowo Urges Brunei, Malaysia, and Philippines to Be Responsive to Citizens' Needs

JAKARTA - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has urged Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, and the Philippines to be more responsive to the needs of their citizens.

Prabowo made the remarks while attending the Special Summit of BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area), which formed part of the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, Philippines, on Thursday (7/5/2026).

Prabowo stressed that BIMP-EAGA must continue to develop in order to more tangibly address the needs of communities in the region.

“With that spirit, BIMP-EAGA must continue to grow. BIMP-EAGA must be more adaptive, more impactful, and more responsive to the needs of our societies,” Prabowo stated in his remarks on Thursday (7/5/2026).

In his speech, Prabowo expressed appreciation to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr for the warm welcome and his leadership in the forum.

The Head of State noted that the BIMP-EAGA Special Summit was taking place at a very important juncture amid rising global challenges.

“This Special Summit arrives at a very critical time. The challenges we face demand closer and more effective collaboration among us,” President Prabowo said.

Furthermore, the President of Indonesia emphasised that the primary priority for member countries at present is to protect the safety and lives of their people.

For that reason, he stated that the BIMP-EAGA 2035 vision has provided a clear direction.

Nevertheless, according to Prabowo, BIMP-EAGA 2035 faces challenges in ensuring tangible implementation.

“Our priorities are clear: protecting the safety and livelihoods of our people. The BIMP-EAGA 2035 vision has given us a clear direction. Now the task is to realise it,” the President said.

From Cebu, Philippines, President Prabowo also conveyed the message that regional solidarity and cooperation are the key to ASEAN remaining resilient in the face of increasingly complex global dynamics.