Prabowo’s Silence on Regional Haze Tests ASEAN Ties

The slash-and-burn clearing methods used in Sumatra and Borneo have intensified during the current El Niño season, pushing respiratory health and environmental safety to a breaking point across Southeast Asia. Although Jakarta maintains it is fulfilling obligations under the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, the lack of a high-level political gesture from the President stands in stark contrast to his predecessors. Former President Joko Widodo frequently issued public regrets to affected neighbors during previous crises, a move that helped maintain regional stability and mutual trust.

Prabowo’s reluctance to address the haze through the ASEAN framework is particularly striking given his reputation as a foreign policy-driven leader. Since taking office, he has logged over 50 international engagements across 29 countries, positioning himself as a proactive global diplomat. Yet, he has remained conspicuously silent regarding Malaysia and Brunei’s calls for a multilateral ASEAN discussion on the smoke. By prioritizing internal law enforcement over regional diplomacy, he risks undermining the "bebas aktif" principle that has defined Jakarta’s foreign policy for decades. For a country historically viewed as the cornerstone of ASEAN, this detachment may erode the very regional architecture that provides Indonesia with its primary platform for international influence.