PETALING JAYA: The Indonesian Business Council (IBC) and the South-East Asia Futures Initiative Centre (Seafic) have signed a memorandum of understanding to deepen research collaboration and policy dialogue.
In a joint statement, the parties said the collaboration aimed to bolster Indonesia’s competitive edge, deepen regional integration, and align business needs with measurable and implementable policy directions.
“Through this partnership, IBC and Seafic will conduct regular consultations, develop joint research and develop policy recommendations on mutually agreed-upon strategic issues.
“The focus will include regional economic resilience, cross-border connectivity and cross-border issues that directly impact trade flows and investment decisions.”
Chair of the board of trustees Arsjad Rasjid emphasised that current geopolitical and geoeconomic dynamics require South-East Asia to position economic integration as a strategic instrument.
“Amid rising trade risks and the fragmentation of supply chains, Asean must move in a coordinated manner with a strong orientation toward practical solutions. The cooperation is designed to strengthen grounded, evidence-based policy dialogue that can respond to the needs of the business community and reinforce the regional economy,” he said.
IBC chief executive officer Sofyan Djalil said the collaboration aimed to strengthen competitiveness through quality decisions and a clear direction.
“Competitiveness is not a slogan. It is born from clear, consistent policies that can be translated into concrete projects. With Seafic, IBC aims to expand its knowledge base and regional network to further strengthen Indonesia’s competitiveness agenda.”
Seafic chairman Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz noted the importance of cooperation beyond mere discourse.
“With the IBC, we want to strengthen the bridge between analysis, business needs, and practical policy recommendations to strengthen integration and economic resilience in South-East Asia,” he said.
