A woman casting her ballot during Indonesia’s presidential and legislative elections, at a polling station in Bogor, West Java. – AFP photo
MIRI (Feb 18): The recent presidential elections of Indonesia garnered considerable attention from people all over Malaysia.
In this regard, Miri MP Chiew Choon Man said this was quite evident here in view of the city’s location near the Kalimantan province of the republic.
He added that, with Miri having established close ties with Indonesia, the electoral outcome would be deemed as crucial for cross-border relations, trade dynamics and developmental endeavours.
“The Feb 14 polls indicated Prabowo Subianto’s strong chance of securing an outright majority in the first round.
“Should this happen, the ascension of Prabowo Subianto to power could have significant implications on the legacy of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his flagship ‘Nusantara’ project.
“This ambitious initiative, aimed at enhancing maritime infrastructure and inter-island connectivity within Indonesia, would actually align well with the interests of Sarawak, particularly in Miri,” he said in a press statement on Friday, when giving his take on the presidential elections of Indonesia.
Nonetheless, Chiew said the impending relocation of Indonesia’s capital to Kalimantan would open up a new horizon of economic synergies and bilateral cooperation, thus, highlighting the need to reinforce customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) complexes along the Sabah-Sarawak-Kalimantan border.
“Therefore, upgrading these CIQ complexes along the Sabah-Sarawak-Kalimantan border is vital, as supported by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.
“In conclusion, the electoral mandate of Indonesia’s 2024 elections resonates strongly across the corridors of Sarawak and Miri, outlining a path full of transformative possibilities.
“The strategic alignment of policies, especially exemplified by the Nusantara project, heralds a paradigm shift towards augmented connectivity, expanded trade horizons and heightened cultural exchanges.
“In pursuing this path, Miri stands ready to emerge as a leader of regional prosperity and a model of sustainable development paradigms,” added Chiew.