KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The year 2025 witnessed Indonesia-Malaysia relations reaching new heights, highlighted by the 13th Annual Consultation at Istana Merdeka, Jakarta - the first since 2017, when it was held in Kuching, Sarawak.
President Prabowo Subianto visited Malaysia five times during the year, while Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim visited Indonesia twice, including for the Annual Consultation in July, reinforcing high-level diplomatic engagement.
The consultations strengthened cooperation across political, economic, security, border, and people-to-people domains, with the next session scheduled to be held in Malaysia in 2026.
Bilateral exchanges flourished, with more than three million Indonesians visiting Malaysia. Educational ties also continued to grow, with over 11,400 Indonesian students studying in Malaysia and more than 1,100 Malaysian students in Indonesia.
In advancing environmental conservation and further strengthening Malaysia-Indonesia ties, the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta, together with Universitas Nasional, planted 10,000 mangrove seedlings in Kampung Bahari Nusantara, Banten.
The embassy, in partnership with Pondok Pesantren Lirboyo, East Java, also hosted the "Forum Malaysia Madani and Fikih Kebangsaan” to explore shared values in nation-building, governance, and social responsibility.
Domestically, Indonesia navigated a dynamic political landscape, including widespread protests over economic pressures between August and September, which prompted the government to review legislative allowances.
A cabinet reshuffle saw Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa appointed Finance Minister, replacing Sri Mulyani Indrawati, signalling potential changes in fiscal policy and economic strategy.
The Free Nutritious Meals programme was launched to provide meals to more than 80 million students, pregnant women and vulnerable groups this year, aimed at fostering healthier and more productive communities.
Meanwhile, severe floods, landslides and extreme weather affected Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Bali, resulting in more than 1,000 deaths and highlighting the country’s vulnerability to natural hazards.
On the international front, Indonesia officially joined BRICS in January, creating new opportunities for economic and political cooperation with other developing nations.
The country is also set to assume the Chair of the Developing Eight (D‑8) Organisation for Economic Cooperation from Jan 1, 2026, succeeding Egypt and leading the organisation through 2027.
These milestones underline Indonesia’s growing influence regionally and globally, while reinforcing its strong partnership with Malaysia.
Despite natural disasters and domestic challenges, Indonesia demonstrated resilience through proactive leadership, diplomacy, and social initiatives.
Looking ahead, 2026 promises deeper bilateral cooperation, strengthened people-to-people ties and continued regional engagement.
Both nations remain committed to stability, prosperity and shared achievements, celebrating a year of progress and partnership. - Bernama
