Jokowi, Lee Hsien Loong to Mediate Continuity of Indonesia-Singapore Partnership as They Will Step Down from Office

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on April 15 that he will step down after nearly 20 years in power and hand over the reins to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on May 15. In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office said Wong "has the unanimous support" of the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) lawmakers.

Meanwhile, Indonesian President Joko Widodo or Jokowi is due to end the office term on October 20, 2024, and will be succeeded by President-elect Prabowo Subianto. Prabowo, who currently holds the post of Defense Minister, will serve alongside Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka – Jokowi's eldest son.

The leaders of the two countries are scheduled to meet at the Bogor Palace on Monday, April 29, 2024. Both will review the 10 years of cooperation and reaffirm their commitment to continuing the partnership.

Jokowi, accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, received a visit from Singapore's Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday, April 26. The meeting, that lasted approximately 30 minutes, saw the two leaders discuss plans for a Leaders' Retreat between Jokowi and PM Lee.

“Apart from celebrating [the ten-year partnership], it will also give a signal that there is continuity in the good relations between the two countries,” Retno said in a press statement after the meeting.

Retno said that Singapore's new prime minister, Lawrence Wong, will join Lee Hsien Loong in visiting Jakarta. However, she declined to elaborate on the meeting agenda. “This shows the importance of the bilateral relations between Singapore and Indonesia,” she said.

In a meeting with Prabowo Subianto at the Ministry of Defence on Tuesday, April 23, Vivian Balakrishnan congratulated Prabowo on his election victory on behalf of President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean. “We look forward to Singapore-Indonesia cooperation in the field of renewable energy and the digital economy,” he said.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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