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View all search resultsApologize, then lead
The President must use the opportunity presented by the two summits in Manila next week to apologize for the transboundary haze stemming from Indonesia's fires, and then reassume the country's role as an indispensable leader of ASEAN.
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President Prabowo Subianto (center right) reaches for the hand of Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (center left) as Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (left) and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet look on as they prepare for a “family photo” on May 8, 2026, during the opening ceremony of the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, the Philippines. (Reuters/Aaron Favila)
T
he ASEAN and East Asia summits next week offer President Prabowo Subianto a timely occasion to apologize to regional neighbors for the transboundary haze from Indonesia’s fires and to reassure them that the crisis will not reoccur. The Manila summits also present an opportune platform for him to reaffirm Indonesia’s leadership role within the bloc.
Singapore is 2027 ASEAN chair, and Prabowo has cultivated strong personal ties with its leadership.
Neighboring states have long looked to Jakarta for direction, provided that regional cooperation rests on equality and mutual benefit. In Manila, Prabowo should reassure his counterparts that Indonesia remains a dependable partner.
But since taking office in October 2024, Prabowo, unlike his six predecessors, has appeared to prioritize relations with major powers, particularly China and the United States. Notably, he has yet to complete introductory visits to all ASEAN capitals, breaking with an unwritten convention for the region’s incoming leaders.
Over the remaining three years of his term, Prabowo should devote sustained attention to Southeast Asia and Indonesia’s strategic regional interests.
As a middle power, Indonesia strengthens its global standing and diplomatic leverage when it acts in concert with ASEAN. It is not too late to recalibrate, as regional peers remain eager for deeper collaboration.
After the Manila summits, Prabowo will attend the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in China next week and the Group of 20 Summit in the United States in December. These diplomatic opportunities should not be squandered: He should use them to coordinate closely with regional leaders and secure tangible gains for Southeast Asia.
