Singapore, Indonesia leaders hold high-level talks amid bilateral challenges

SINGAPORE: Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto have held high-level talks amid recent bilateral challenges.

Singapore Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said the communication had established political commitment on both sides to do "what is necessary", and that the focus was now on implementing and executing the plans and commitments.

"I am not at liberty to discuss the details, but just let me give you the assurance that communication has occurred at the highest level between my prime minister and with President Prabowo," he told Singapore media following the conclusion of his working visit to Indonesia on Wednesday.

He was asked about the state of bilateral relations between Singapore and Indonesia following recent developments, as well as details of his meeting with Prabowo on the same day. The transcript of the interview was made available by Singapore's Foreign Ministry.

Balakrishnan described his visit to Jakarta as involving engagement at the highest level, having met his newly appointed Indonesian counterpart, Arrmanatha Nasir, and called on Prabowo.

"We had good conversations, honest conversations, sincere conversations, and we have come up with a few constructive approaches, some of which we are in the midst of implementing."

Balakrishnan said their announcement on Tuesday on the Joint Task Force "is a recognition that in the case of haze, it is a transboundary problem and it requires a collegiate, collective response on the part of both Indonesia and Singapore".

The minister said the task force aimed to facilitate a collective response, enhance information sharing and strengthen coordination to deter companies engaging in such anti-social and, frankly, dangerous acts.

"We can also hold them accountable, and we can try our best to make sure that this does not recur," he added.