Defense Minister Prabowo meets Malaysian King to reaffirm defense ties

Kuala Lumpur (ANTARA) - Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto visited the King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, at the Malaysian State Palace in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, September 7.

In a statement from the Indonesian Defense Ministry on Sunday, Prabowo reiterated Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening defense ties with Malaysia and highlighted the close cultural connections between the two countries.

“I appreciate the strong relationship between our two countries and will continue to strive to improve cooperation, especially in the defense sector," Prabowo told the King.

"I appreciate Your Majesty’s good wishes and hope that our partnership will continue to grow for the common good."

He also expressed hope that the 44th General Border Committee (GBC) Malaysia-Indonesia (Malindo) meeting, which Malaysia will host this year, would help the neighboring nations reaffirm their commitment to mutual security and prosperity.

Meanwhile, in a post on the King’s official Facebook account, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar stated that he and Prabowo discussed a range of current regional and international issues during their one-hour meeting.

The post also highlighted that the Malaysian sovereign and the Indonesian incoming head of state have maintained a friendly relationship since participating in a joint military drill at Fort Bragg, United States, about four decades ago.

Malaysia was Prabowo’s last stop on his Southeast Asia tour from September 5 to 7. He began the journey by flying to Brunei Darussalam, where he was received by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah to discuss potential cooperation in the defense industry.

He then met with Laotian President Thongloun Sisoulith and Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Senate President Hun Sen, and Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and her father Thaksin Shinawatra in their respective countries.