Jokowi: If It's Solid, Then ASEAN Can Continue Relevant

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) emphasized that if ASEAN countries continue to be solid and trust each other, the region can play a central role and will continue to be relevant.

"The mutual trust and solidity of ASEAN is very important. Solidity between the governments of ASEAN members, between ASEAN member parliaments, and with other stakeholders. If ASEAN is solid, then ASEAN can play its central role and ASEAN can continue to be relevant," said President Jokowi at the Opening of the 44th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) Session in Jakarta, Monday, August 7, confiscated by Antara.

President Jokowi said that the government, parliament, and all stakeholders in the region must fight for the welfare of the ASEAN people.

ASEAN's economic growth, said Jokowi, continues to be stable. ASEAN is considered by the world as one of the world's economic growth motors.

"As Chair of ASEAN, Indonesia wants to make ASEAN the center of world economic growth as the epicenter of growth," he said.

Therefore, Jokowi advised that the integration of the ASEAN economy must continue to be strengthened, trade barriers with ASEAN partners must be eliminated, equal economic cooperation, and mutual benefits must be increased

President Jokowi reminded that parliament is the representation of the people's votes. Jokowi said that the opening of the ASEAN charter begins with the word "we the peoples" which means that the aspirations of the people must be put forward.

"It has been 56 years since ASEAN has contributed greatly to peace and stability in the region. But we must not be careless, let alone complacent, regional peace and stability cannot come by itself," he said.

In that context, said Jokowi, ASEAN needs to continue to maintain mutual trust and solidity in order to jointly strive for regional peace and stability.

"For this reason, ASEAN must work closely together and trust each other to become the locomotive in maintaining peace and stability in the region," he concluded.