TEMPO.CO, Jakarta-President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo chaired a meeting of between Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines at the Gedung Agung Palace in Yogyakarta, Thursday, May 5, 2016.
The meeting was conducted with a 2+2+2 format between the foreign ministers and army commanders of the three countries. The trilateral meeting began at 08.30 am local time.
Indonesia is represented by Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi and TNI Commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo. Malaysia sent Foreign Minister Dato' Sri Anifah Aman and Chief of Armed Forces Gen. Tan Sri Dato' Sri (Dr.) Zulkifeli Bin Mohd Zin, and the Philippines sent Secretary of Foreign Affairs Jose Rene D. Almendras and Armed Forces chief of staff of the Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda.
"This meeting will discuss four important issues to be detailed together," President Widodo told members of the media on the sidelines of the meeting.
The four issues are those concerning the national security of the three Asian countries. "The first issue is about joint patrols. We will discuss the details of collaborating in field works," says Widodo.
The second issue is to decide what kind of actions that the three countries will collaborate on when an emergency situation occurs.
"The third is about exchanging of information as quickly as possible, opening hotlines, crisis centers—here and in the two countries," said Jokowi.
Lastly, Jokowi asked the army chiefs from the three countries to establish clear standard operating procedures regarding the stages of cooperative actions.
In a release that Tempo received, the Foreign Ministry said that Indonesia initiated the meeting following recent security challenges in the waters bordering the three countries, which have become increasingly alarming.
These challenges include the rise of armed piracy, trans-national crime, and terrorism. In 2015, more than 100,000 ships that crossed the waters of Sulu carried 55 million metric tons of cargo in one million containers (20 feet), with more than 18 million passengers.
The meeting will be closed by a joint press statement by Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
PRIBADI WICAKSONO