Summary of "Wawancara Anies Baswedan di The World - ABC News Australia, 8 Maret 2023"

Anies Baswedan on Indonesia’s Future and International Relations

Former Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan, a leading candidate for Indonesia’s next presidency, recently shared insights from his visit to Australia and his vision for Indonesia’s future.

Visit to Australia and Bilateral Relations

During his trip, Anies met with Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Philip Lowe. He emphasized the importance of strengthening Indonesia-Australia relations, focusing on shared regional challenges such as:

Climate change
Economic growth
Regional stability

Anies expressed a strong desire to enhance business ties between the two countries by:

Increasing people-to-people exchanges
Reducing bureaucratic hurdles for investors

His goal is to elevate Indonesia’s position among Australia’s top trading partners.

Reflection on the 2017 Gubernatorial Campaign

Addressing controversies from his 2017 campaign, Anies acknowledged the divisive role of identity politics but maintained that his governance was based on:

Principles of equality
Public interest
Common sense
Adherence to the law

He rejected claims that his policies were influenced by political or religious groups supporting him. Instead, he invited judgment based on his five-year record as governor, during which he promoted peace and equal treatment for all communities in Jakarta.

Priorities for the Presidential Election

Looking ahead, Anies outlined key priorities for his potential presidency:

Improving the quality and equitable distribution of economic growth beyond Java
Enhancing nationwide access to education and healthcare
Implementing systematic policies for agriculture and fisheries

He stressed the importance of ensuring that economic growth benefits households across the Indonesian archipelago.

Foreign Policy Vision

On foreign policy, Anies reaffirmed Indonesia’s non-aligned stance amid China’s rising influence in the region. He advocated for:

Maintaining balanced relationships with China, the US, and other major powers
Preserving Southeast Asia’s longstanding peace and stability

Additionally, he called for Indonesia to take a more assertive international role by actively contributing to regional and global peace beyond transactional economic interests.

Presenters/Contributors: - Anies Baswedan (Former Governor of Jakarta, Presidential Candidate) - Beverly (Interviewer, ABC News Australia)