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Highs, lows, bumps and bruises, I have experienced a lot in my four years as the Indonesian ambassador to Australia. I have heard statements from many people that Indonesia is important to Australia and that Australia is vital to Indonesia.
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Stronger ties: President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and his counterpart Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. (Courtesy of the Presidential Office/File)
H
ighs, lows, bumps and bruises, I have experienced a lot in my four years as the Indonesian ambassador to Australia. I have heard statements from many people that Indonesia is important to Australia and that Australia is vital to Indonesia.
Last Feb. 26, on a cloudy Sunday morning in the Sydney Royal Botanic Gardens, I saw our leaders walking the talk.
I watched, from a distance, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo sharing stories and stopping to talk with a father and his baby. For the two leaders at that moment, there was nothing more important than getting to know each other.
On their first meeting in November 2015, President Jokowi took PM Turnbull on a blusukan (impromptu visit) to Tanah Abang market in Jakarta. Instead of taking his guest for a walk around the airy and tranquil presidential compound, he opted to take Turnbull to the largest textile market in Southeast Asia.
Likewise, Turnbull personally gave Jokowi a tour of the gardens and the Sydney Harbour. The night before, the PM and his wife, Lucy Turnbull, hosted President Jokowi and First Lady Iriana for dinner at their private residence.
They say that to gain trust and confidence, you should be familiar with the person on a personal level. My good friend Senator Eric Abetz agreed that once you have the trust and know the person well, other things will fall into place.
Both Jokowi and Turnbull came from business backgrounds. So they know the value of spending time together.
