Thanks to the 'Good Neighbour Policy', Natuna is Now Less Prone to Conflict, Says Prabowo
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto said that thanks to the “good neighbour policy”, Indonesia can maintain relations with neighbouring countries and anticipate the possibility of conflict with them, including in border areas in the North Natuna Sea.
In front of a number of state officials at the inauguration ceremony of the Marsinah Museum, Nganjuk Regency, East Java, Saturday, President Prabowo emphasized that the good neighbour policy was an implementation of Indonesia’s free and active foreign policy which is rooted in the 1945 Constitution.
“I launched it as soon as 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 President Prabowo.
“With Vietnam, we resolved it. With China, we are improving it. Thank God, now in Natuna there are fewer conflicts. With Malaysia, I am trying. Hopefully, we will resolve it well, with PNG we are good, with Australia we are good, all neighbours, with Thailand we are good,” continued the President in his speech.
The President 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.
“Workers, believe me, my understanding is the understanding of our founding fathers. In fact, I learned a lot from Bung Karno’s teachings. Sorry, Bung Karno does not belong to one party only. Bung Karno belongs to all Indonesian people. Bung Karno, Bung Hatta, belong to all the people, Sjahrir, everyone. So, that is our strength if we want to move forward. 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,” said the President.
The President 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 day, 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,” said President Prabowo.