JAKARTA: Singapore and Indonesia are strategically aligned as countries that have coastlines along the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Monday (Jul 6), adding that both nations would do their part to keep the waterway safe, open and accessible to all.
Mr Wong was speaking at a joint press conference with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto after their second Singapore-Indonesia leaders’ retreat at Istana Merdeka in Jakarta.
The Strait of Malacca is a major shipping lane for global trade and energy, bordered primarily by Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, and connects the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
The two leaders discussed regional and global developments, agreeing on the importance of ASEAN and ASEAN centrality, Mr Wong said. They also discussed developments in the Middle East and their implications for Singapore, particularly for the Strait of Malacca.
The Middle East conflict had disrupted shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for much of Asia’s oil and gas supply. Vessels have since resumed passage through the strait after the US and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding in June to pause the conflict.
“We both share interest in upholding navigational rights and freedoms, and keeping sea lines of communication open to all, including the unimpeded rights of transit passage of vessels, in accordance with UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), which is also customary international law,” said Mr Wong.
REAFFIRMING A SHARED POSITION
Mr Prabowo said the two leaders had reaffirmed ASEAN’s position that disputes should be resolved peacefully through dialogue and diplomacy, both in the region and beyond.
He noted that Singapore and Indonesia had also reaffirmed their shared position on the Strait of Malacca.
“We must preserve peace and security in the strait, while also protecting it from pollution, accidents and piracy,” he said, adding that Singapore and Indonesia would continue coordinating closely with Malaysia and Thailand on the issue as a shared interest among countries surrounding the strait.
“I would also like to assure our friends in Singapore that my position, and Indonesia’s position, has remained consistent for decades,” Mr Prabowo said.
“I have demonstrated over many years my commitment to ensuring that Singapore and Indonesia remain close partners, working together in friendship and cooperation.”