Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto to make first state visit to Singapore on June 16
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong meeting Mr Prabowo Subianto, President of the Republic of Indonesia, on Oct 20, 2024. PHOTO: MDDI
Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto to make first state visit to Singapore on June 16
SINGAPORE – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will make his first state visit to Singapore on June 16.
Mr Prabowo, who took office in October 2024, will receive a ceremonial welcome at Parliament House, said Singapore's Foreign Affairs Ministry (MFA) on June 15.
He will call on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who will host a state banquet in his honour.
Mr Prabowo will also meet Prime Minister Lawrence Wong for the annual Singapore-Indonesia Leaders' Retreat.
The two leaders have met several times since they each took over as heads of government. For PM Wong, that was in May 2024.
PM Wong visited Jakarta in end-October to attend Mr Prabowo's inauguration and joined other invited leaders to personally offer his congratulations. He also made an introductory visit to Jakarta at the start of November.
The pair also met recently on the sidelines of the 46th Asean Summit in May in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
MFA said that as the highest-level platform between the two countries, the annual meeting – in its eighth iteration this year – is 'testament to the excellent bilateral relations and strong interpersonal ties between our leaders'.
This will be the first Leaders' Retreat for both men in their current capacities.
They had attended the Leaders' Retreat hosted by Indonesia in April 2024, when PM Wong was still deputy prime minister, and Mr Prabowo was president-elect.
MFA said PM Wong and Mr Prabowo will review the 'strong and substantive cooperation' between Singapore and Indonesia and chart the way forward.
'Singapore and Indonesia share a longstanding friendship and collaborate closely in key areas such as defence, the green economy, and connectivity,' said the ministry.
Recent milestones include three key agreements to strengthen cooperation in clean energy and sustainable development.
The memorandums of understanding were inked on June 13 during a visit to Jakarta by Dr Tan See Leng, Singapore's Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science and Technology, and Dr Bahlil Lahadalia, Indonesia's Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources.
Three landmark pacts between the two countries also officially came into force on March 21, 2024.
The three agreements – which deal with airspace management, defence cooperation and extradition – come under an expanded framework between the two countries.
MFA said Mr Prabowo will be accompanied by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono and Minister of Defence Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.
He will also be accompanied by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia, Minister of Agriculture Andi Amran Sulaiman, Minister of Investment and Downstream Industry Rosan Roeslani, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
Goh Yan Han is political correspondent at The Straits Times. She writes Unpacked, a weekly newsletter on Singapore politics and policy.
Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Independent Singapore
2 hours ago
- Independent Singapore
Gerald Giam draws attention to a petition calling for free-flow tap water at dine-in eateries
SINGAPORE: Workers' Party (WP) Member of Parliament (MP) Gerald Giam (Aljunied Group Representation Constituency [GRC]) pointed out in a Facebook post on Thursday (Jun 12) that there are food and beverage establishments in Singapore where water costs as much as sugary drinks do. He added that this could lead diners in the direction of less healthy options, which in turn could increase the risk of people suffering from diabetes and obesity. A few months ago, Mr Giam called on the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) to encourage eateries, even those in coffee shops and malls, to offer low-cost drinking water as a best practice. He also highlighted a petition recently shared on the platform, calling for free-flowing tap water in dine-in eateries, which a member of the public had launched. 'In a country where tap water is clean, safe, and abundantly available, it is unjustified to restrict access to tap water, especially in establishments that already impose a 10% service charge. We urge the Singapore Government to mandate that dine-in F&B establishments provide free-flow tap water to all customers at no additional cost,' the petition by Yucai Yee reads. It points out the advantages of such a move from public health, environmental, and economic perspectives. Mr Giam, who was re-elected to Parliament for a second term, added that he recognises that from a business standpoint, there is a cost for eateries to offer tap water. He added, however, that this can be recovered when water is offered at cost, and underlined that it should be cheaper than sugary drinks, which would support healthier choices and sustainability goals. In his March speech, Mr Giam said that a culture of taking a reusable water bottle everywhere should be encouraged as part of the city-state's sustainability initiatives. This would reduce Singaporeans' reliance on single-use bottles. This point was also made by the author of the petition, who noted that Singapore ranks number one in the world in terms of per capita bottled water consumption, at 1,129 litres per person per year. According to the petition, 'Reducing bottled water sales by offering tap water can significantly lower single-use plastic waste and environmental harm.' In March 2023, similarly, former WP MP Leon Perera also noted that Singapore is the world's largest user of bottled water. He called on Parliament to distribute more water coolers and dispensers around the island to reduce bottled water use and encourage people to hydrate. /TISG Read also: Leon Perera: Since Singapore is the biggest user of bottled water in the world, why can't we have more water coolers & water dispensers?
New Paper
5 hours ago
- New Paper
Singapore start-up on a green mission to keep mobile phones in use for longer
Singaporeans are replacing their phones every 2.7 years, contributing to some 2.9 million mobile phones being stowed away, a new study shows. But one Singapore start-up is hoping to change this and keep phones in circulation for five years here. This will be even longer than the global smartphone replacement cycle of 3.5 years on average. Cinch plans to meet this target by renting out instead of selling the devices to consumers, ensuring that the returned units at the end of the rental period are refurbished to get a new lease of life with another user. "We're trying to extend the useful life of these devices beyond the average refresh rate," said Mr Mahir Hamid, chief executive and co-founder of Cinch, which commissioned the study to better understand consumer behaviour. Its study, conducted between late 2024 and early 2025, involved interviews with firms that handle e-waste and used devices, as well as a survey of 500 Singapore-based respondents. Fresh from raising US$28.8 million (S$37 million) in funding led by Monk's Hill Ventures, Cinch is now actively pursuing consumers, letting them pay a monthly fee to rent the latest premium models of phones, laptops and other devices. Cinch will also foot 90 per cent of the repair cost of devices damaged due to accidents. For instance, the latest Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge with 512GB storage is available from Cinch for a rental fee of $70 a month over two years. At the end of two years, consumers would have paid $1,680. The same model can be bought from Samsung for $1,808. An Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max with 512GB storage can be rented from Cinch for $120 a month over 12 months. This will amount to a total of $1,440 at the end of the year. The same model costs $2,199 upfront from the Apple store. Customers can also buy direct from Samsung and Apple with an interest-free instalment plan, but it would require them to have a credit card from specific banks such as DBS, OCBC or UOB. "There is a massive segment of the population for which a $2,000 to $3,000 purchase can be a significant proportion of their monthly salary," said Mr Hamid. "A subscription model allows them to access the premium device." Cinch, which has been operating here since 2023, has been leasing mostly to businesses such as those in the retail, logistics, information technology and public relations sectors. Around 10,000 devices such as laptops, smartphones and tablets have been leased, most of which were returned and refurbished for a second or third customer. "Every refurbished unit needs to be as good as new," said Mr Hamid. "If it doesn't meet our standards, it doesn't go back into circulation." He said that all returned devices undergo a professional diagnostic sweep and complete data wipe so users do not have to worry about privacy leaks. Customers can buy their rented devices from Cinch if they wish, but it would likely cost more than buying from retailers such as Shopee or Lazada, said Mr Hamid, urging users to rent instead. Cinch has also partnered with waste management firm Alba Group since the start of 2025 to collect and recycle devices that can no longer be refurbished for new leases. During recycling, valuable materials such as precious metals and plastics are extracted from the e-waste. Singapore generates more than 60,000 tonnes of e-waste a year, according to a report by the National Environment Agency in 2018. This is equivalent to 73 mobile phones disposed of per person in Singapore. Slowing down the device replacement cycle will reduce the overall volume of electronic waste that needs to be collected, sorted and processed, an Alba spokesperson told The Straits Times. "Alba supports efforts like Cinch's to keep electronic devices in circulation for a longer period, as it aligns with our mission to reduce e-waste and promote a circular economy in Singapore," said the spokesperson. The leadership team of Cinch, which has been operating in Singapore since 2023. PHOTO: CINCH The leasing of laptops, smartphones and tablets has become a standard practice among some businesses, as it allows them to access the latest technology without incurring huge upfront costs. Leasing is also a way of reducing depreciating assets. Leasing firms typically cover a device's configuration, maintenance, repair and eco-friendly disposal. Telcos Singtel and StarHub have been leasing devices to businesses since 2020 and 2021 respectively, while M1 does so only as part of a more comprehensive suite of tech services. Singtel started leasing devices to consumers in 2018, but ceased the programme in 2022. Mr Keith Leong, Singtel's managing director of enterprise, said consumers find that they get better value from buying devices bundled with mobile plans. But businesses in sectors such as government, infocomm and aviation continue to lease from Singtel. While the device leasing meets the specific needs of some businesses, many consumers still choose to buy devices as it gives them full ownership and control, which can be cost-effective over the long run, said Mr Leong. "Ultimately, both models provide valuable pathways to equip a mobile workforce effectively," he said. Other rental firms such as Circular and have also been in the market since 2021 to wean consumers from device ownership. Apart from renting out phones, laptop, and gaming consoles, also rents out home appliances such as digital door locks and washing machines. Leasing an iPhone 16 Pro Max with 512GB storage space would cost between $69 and $82 a month for two years from Circular, depending on the phone's condition. The same model would cost between $92 and $99 a month for two years from Cinch's adviser Arvin Singh said that Netflix and Grab have proven that ownership of storage discs and cars, respectively, is not essential. "Netflix for many years now has disrupted ownership of DVDs and hardware... So I think it's not a strange concept for consumers. When it comes to phones, maybe a bit more education is required," said Mr Singh. However, Ms Tracy Tsai, vice-president analyst of consulting firm Gartner, said that phones cannot be compared to DVDs, cars or bicycles as phones carry confidential personal data. The cost-effectiveness of renting also comes into question if users upgrade frequently, she added. "But if users want to chase the latest phone every year, renting might be less of an issue."
AsiaOne
7 hours ago
- AsiaOne
Los Angeles protesters tell US Marines to leave LA, World News
LOS ANGELES -About 50 US Marines squared off against hundreds of protesters in front of a federal building in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday (June 14), with the crowd yelling in unison for them to go home. The Marines had been sent to the city by US President Donald Trump along with federalized members of the California National Guard earlier this week over the objections of the state governor and the city's mayor, as anger over immigration raids drew thousands of demonstrators into the streets. Jesus Arias, a Los Angeles-based attorney, was at the front of the crowd with a bullhorn, working to convince the Marines to abandon their post. "We are not your enemy, we are the people!" Arias said into the bullhorn as the Marines looked on. "You are breaking the oaths you took to be Marines. Wake up! Wake up!" California Governor Gavin Newsom and local leaders have called Trump's move an inflammatory provocation for the protests over the past week - demonstrations that the local sheriff on Friday said were 99 per cent peaceful, with a only a handful of people engaged in violence and vandalism. Trump summoned 700 Marines from California who were trained to help in the LA mission, including de-escalation and crowd control. The deployment sparked a debate about the use of the military on US soil given Marines are trained for conflicts around the world rather than at home, but the Trump administration has defended its move by citing the need to maintain law and order. Trump, who is carrying out a campaign promise to deport illegal immigrants, has argued that Los Angeles would have burned down if he had not acted quickly. The Marines were armed with M4 rifles and wore face shields and the same shin guards used by baseball catchers. They stood guard at the top of steps leading to the entrance of the Roybal federal building, which houses immigration offices and where Ice has held some undocumented detainees. The building has been a flashpoint for protesters all week. [[nid:719098]] Just down the steps about 15 feet away, hundreds of protesters confronted the Marines, yelling in unison "Marines go home!" and "Shame! Shame!" Several protesters hurled insults and invectives at the Marines, who did not react. Some in the crowd were telling them to take a knee or to join their demonstration. As of 4 pm, (7am Singapore time) there had been no physical altercation between the protesters and Marines. Kai Ly, a 45-year-old a Los Angeles resident, was in the crowd. "This is such a sad moment in time for the US," Ly said. "It's sad to see that we're so divided that we have Marines heading off against protesters." Antoinette Gutierrez, 36, was another Los Angeles resident protesting before the Marines. "It's disgusting to have the military, to have the Marines, turned against citizens," she said. "It makes me embarrassed to be American."
