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Prabowo and Anwar dial into the Gulf to protect energy and political standing
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Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim meeting Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on March 27.
PHOTO: INDONESIAN PRESIDENTIAL SECRETARIAT PRESS BUREAU
- South-east Asian leaders are engaging Middle Eastern counterparts amid rising tensions to safeguard energy supplies and regional stability.
- Indonesia and Malaysia aim to project themselves as moderate actors, balancing domestic political interests with international diplomacy.
- Analysts note that while these efforts have limitations, they serve to mitigate domestic impacts of the Middle East conflict.
AI generated
JAKARTA – As tensions in the Middle East threaten global oil and gas flows, South-east Asia’s Muslim leaders are picking up the phone to touch base with their counterparts in the Gulf, in what analysts say are efforts towards energy security and political positioning.
In recent weeks, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has spoken to leaders from Iran, Turkey and Egypt as well as Gulf partners including Qatar.
