Prabowo Keen to Continue Yudhoyono’s Foreign Policy

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Prabowo Keen to Continue Yudhoyono’s Foreign Policy

By Josua Gantan & Andrea Wijaya on 09:07 pm Jun 22, 2014
Category Featured, News, Politics
Tags: 2014 Indonesia Presidential Election, foreign policy, presidential debate, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono SBY


Updated at 10:40 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, 2014]

Jakarta. Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto says that he is keen on maintaining the continuity of the foreign policies that have been enacted under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s administration.

Prabowo also emphasized the importance of peace for a nation.

“I have often talked about change, but things that need not be changed should not be changed. Indonesia’s international politics under SBY are already on the right path,” Prabowo said.

“It must be admitted that in terms of international politics, SBY is quite outstanding and recognized, that is his achievement,” said Prabowo, who is running with Hatta Rajasa as his vice presidential running mate.

Hatta is an in-law of the Yudhoyono through his daughter’s marriage to Yudhoyono’s son.

“He … brought peace … don’t take peace lightly,” Prabowo, said while referring to the incumbent president. “Every night on TV we watch how in the Middle East, nations are in chaos.”

In response to rival Joko Widodo’s question about national threats, Prabowo broke down his answer into two parts: external and internal.

“The biggest external threat is that there exists some countries that will try to claim our national territory — in the sea, or even a few islands,” he answered, continuing his theme of guarding national sovereignty.

He appealed once again to the poor, saying that, “the biggest internal threat — in my opinion, is poverty. We must maintain the sovereignty of Indonesia in natural resources. This is in my opinion the biggest threat.”

He returned to the topic of national resources, re-emphasizing the need for Indonesia to plug leaks in national wealth.

“We cannot control our own natural resources — as such, we do not have a reserve of wealth in order to help reduce the incidence of poverty in our nation.”

Such statements echo the recent ban on mineral ore exports. Foreign companies like Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold and Newmont Mining — both of the United States — have long based their mining operations in Indonesia, usually from concession contracts that give the government a sizable percentage of their earnings.

Freeport’s Grasberg mine operates in Papuan, one of the least developed provinces in the country.

Indonesians will vote on July 9 for the next president to replace Yudhoyono, whose second five-year term ends in October.

The debate — moderated by University of Indonesia professor of law Hikmahanto Juwana — was held at Holiday Inn in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta.