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ur neighbors are following our political developments closely, especially with regard to who will lead Indonesia in October, because as the largest member of the 10-member ASEAN, Indonesia plays a key role in the development of the regional grouping in the international and regional landscape.

Indonesia'€™s reluctance to fully implement the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) at the end of 2015, growing nationalist sentiment in the country and its deeper inward-looking tendency are among concerns for our neighbors. Singapore and Malaysia are often the most affected targets of domestic frustations and our demonstrations of power against smaller neighbors. There are fears that the new Indonesian leader will adopt more protectionist economic policies even though such policies could endanger our commitment to the AEC.

Their expectation and concerns about President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono'€™s successor were well reflected by Singapore'€™s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday.

'€œWe in Singapore look forward to working with a strong Indonesian government, one that will take an ASEAN perspective, the way the present Indonesian government has and the way president Soeharto did for many decades,'€ he told Asia News Network editors.

The late former president Soeharto will always be remembered by Singaporeans as a leader of the region'€™s largest economy who positioned himself as primus inter pares (first among equals) during his 32-year tenure. He encouraged the smaller neighbors to grow together by creating deep trust among the regional leaders. The PM'€™s father, former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, is a living witness to the era of Soeharto'€™s leadership.

Since 2004, Yudhoyono has always prioritized ASEAN as the cornerstone of Indonesia'€™s foreign policy. He took a leading role in successfully persuading Myanmar'€™s generals to lead their country out of global isolation. It is true however that Indonesia often feels it should take a larger global role because it deserves higher international status.

Whoever will be Yudhoyono'€™s successor, it is unlikely that the new leader will abandon ASEAN. But neighbors also need to realize they need to adjust to political changes in Indonesia. It is much easier for the leaders of Singapore, and also Malaysia, to take major steps in foreign policy because their level of democracy is different to that of Indonesia.

 Singapore'€™s PM was right about Indonesia'€™s role in the region. Our new leader needs to take into account Lee'€™s memory of Soeharto. His primus inter pares wisdom should apply to our new president too.