Depok, July 3rd 2023. The Department of International Relations, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Indonesia (UI), and the Department of International and Strategic Studies, University Malaya (UM), held a joint international webinar entitled “Enhancing Indonesia–Malaysia Relations in Recent Regional Dynamics: A Perspective from Academia”. This activity aims to disseminate knowledge about Indonesia and Malaysia, as well as encourage positive cooperation between the two, especially in the academic field.
Dean of FISIP UI, Prof. Dr. Semiarto Aji Purwanto, hoped that with this activity, the relationship between UI and UM will become stronger, thereby providing benefits to both countries and the entire Southeast Asian region. He said, “The two countries have an important role in maintaining peace, and are able to balance the Southeast Asian region since Indonesia and Malaysia are the founders of ASEAN. It is important to remember that the relationship between Indonesia and Malaysia is not just a government relationship, but also a relationship between people to people .”
Indonesia and Malaysia have intense people-to-people and state-to-state relations . According to UI Professor of International Relations, Prof. Evi Fitriyani, the two countries have several problems at the maritime border, but President Joko Widodo has signed an agreement regarding the Malacca Strait and the Sulawesi Sea with the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“The new development in the Indonesian border area is an initiative of President Joko Widodo in developing the border. The president is trying to change the border from backyard to front yard. It can be seen from the state border crossing posts that are now better and more modern,” said Prof. Evi.
Even so, Prof. Evi said that the challenges in the border areas between Indonesia and Malaysia did not only arise at cross-border posts, but more than that. There is no guarantee that adequate and modern facilities will improve people-to-people relations at the border, hence social and cultural development becomes more important than political. Managing transnational crimes and conserving natural resources in border areas are also another challenge for the government and society.
In the webinar that was held on Tuesday (20/6), at the Juwono Sudarsono Auditorium FISIP UI, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University Malaya, Prof. Danny Wong, said that Indonesia and Malaysia have historical similarities. “We realize that historical similarities are important. However, over time, the two countries have differences such as the ideas of building the state foundation.
