TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto has reaffirmed Indonesia's commitment to maintaining the Strait of Malacca as an international shipping lane. He made the remarks during a joint press briefing with Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong following a bilateral meeting between the two leaders at the Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta on Monday, July 6, 2026.
During the talks, Prabowo and Wong outlined their respective stance regarding the strategic waterway. Prabowo noted that both nations share a vested interest given their direct maritime borders along the strait.
Prabowo emphasized that Indonesia and Singapore have agreed to guarantee that the Strait of Malacca remains an open corridor for global transit. "We must safeguard security and peace in the strait, while also protecting it from pollution, accidents, and piracy," he said.
The Gerindra Party chair underscored that the Malacca Strait serves as a vital lifeline for regional economies. Therefore, Indonesia and Singapore will coordinate with Malaysia and Thailand to ensure the waterway remains open to all nations, in alignment with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Wong remarked that the strategic position of the Malacca Strait has been highlighted following conflicts in the Middle East that disrupted international shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz. This disruption has generated a significant impact for Singapore.
Wong stated that Singapore and Indonesia hold aligned interests in upholding freedom of navigation rights in the Strait of Malacca, including transit passage for vessels under UNCLOS frameworks.
He noted that Indonesia and Singapore are littoral states—coastal nations flanking the waterway—tasked with ensuring the Strait of Malacca remains safe, open, and universally accessible.
The high-level meeting between Prabowo and Wong was convened as the 2026 Singapore-Indonesia Leaders' Annual Retreat. This event marks their second summit, following their initial Leaders' Retreat in Singapore last year.
Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya noted that the Leaders' Retreat is a regular agenda for both heads of state. "It is the annual meeting between the President of the Republic of Indonesia and the Prime Minister of Singapore," Teddy told reporters on Monday, July 6, 2026.
He added that Indonesia and Singapore are slated to sign several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) over the course of the bilateral discussions. However, Teddy stopped short of elaborating on the specifics of those agreements.
"There will be 26 agreements or MoUs signed later on," the Indonesian Army colonel concluded.
Read: Prabowo Welcomes Singapore PM Lawrence Wong at Jakarta Palace
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