JAKARTA: Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto will meet Singapore’s top diplomat on Wednesday (Oct 28) as ties between the two South-East Asian nations come under strain.
Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan arrived in Indonesia "unexpectedly” on Tuesday morning and requested a meeting with Prabowo, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said in a statement. "He will be received briefly later today.”
Prabowo continues to maintain good relations and is strengthening communication with friendly nations, particularly those in South- East Asia, Wijaya said.
Balakrishnan’s visit is at a sensitive juncture. Haze from wildfires burning in Indonesia blanketed Singapore in smog while Indonesia unexpectedly cut gas supplies to Singapore. A former Indonesian minister also publicly accused Singapore state investment funds of instigating a recent market rout.
On Tuesday, Balakrishnan and his Indonesian counterpart Arrmanatha Nasir said both countries agreed to form a joint taskforce to help tackle the forest fires. - Bloomberg
