Indonesia’s Brics bid raises questions about Asean’s future under Prabowo

Doubts swirl about Asean’s significance for President Prabowo as Indonesia pursues Brics membership – a move his predecessor had ruled out

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Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto salutes at a swearing-in ceremony in Jakarta on October 22. Photo: AP

Published: 12:00pm, 30 Oct 2024Updated: 2:31pm, 30 Oct 2024

Indonesia’s push to join the Brics grouping reflects President Prabowo Subianto’s “good neighbour” foreign policy principle, but raises questions about the future role of Asean in his diplomatic strategy.

Observers say the new leader’s guiding proverb, “a thousand friends is too few, one enemy is too many”, underpins Jakarta’s bid for membership of Brics, which is led by China and Russia and considered a counterweight to the Western-dominated world order.

Foreign Minister Sugiono announced Indonesia’s intention to join during the bloc’s summit in Kazan, Russia on October 24 – emphasising that the decision was driven by both economic and geopolitical motives and aimed to promote “solidarity among the Global South.”

On Monday, Prabowo told national broadcaster SCTV that Indonesia’s future membership in Brics “will expand partnerships globally and make Indonesia not only part of a particular bloc”.

“So we made a decision … that I think Indonesia also needs to have a presence. So that we are good in all places.”

Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono arrives at the Brics summit in Kazan, Russia on October 24, 2024. Photo: RU Host Photo Agency via Reuters

Sugiono pointed out the shortcomings of the current world order at the summit in Russia. “The lack of collective action against these atrocities [in Gaza and Lebanon] reflects a grim truth, that the current multilateral system no longer functions as intended,” he said.