Prabowo Urges More Adaptive and Impactful cooperation in ASEAN Summit

RRI.CO.ID, Cebu City - The Brunei Darussalam–Indonesia–Malaysia–Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Special Summit opened in Cebu City, Philippines, on Thursday, May 7, 2026, as part of the 48th ASEAN Summit. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto emphasized the importance of strengthening regional collaboration in facing global challenges before the countries' leaders.

He attended the summit, alongside Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. He was seen wearing a distinctive brown suit and headwear.

BIMP-EAGA is a sub-regional cooperation initiative established in 1994 to promote development in remote and less-developed areas of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. According to their official statement, the cooperation is expected to create balanced and inclusive growth, as well as contribute to regional economic integration in ASEAN.

The BIMP-EAGA encompasses several areas within the four countries. Those include the entire Borneo Island - within Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia, as well as Indonesia's Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua regions.

In his opening remarks at the summit, President Marcos called on the four countries to stay guided by their 2035 vision to achieve meaningful, sustainable development that is felt in everyday life. He said that improved living conditions for the people are proof of regional cooperation working at its best.

"Today's discussions highlight key milestone programs and projects that are already making a big difference in our communities, creating livelihoods, strengthening connectivity, and expanding opportunities, especially in the sub-region's growth areas. These successes remind us that regional cooperation delivers its greatest value when it uplifts local communities," Marcos said.

During the summit, Prabowo spotted the urgency of more adaptive and impactful cooperation, especially in energy and food security. According to him, subregional cooperation like BIMP-EAGA must become more adaptive, impactful, and responsive to changing global dynamics.

"Our priority is clear: protecting the safety and livelihoods of our people. The BIMP-EAGA 2035 vision has given us a clear direction. Now the task is to make it real," he continued.

Prabowo said increasing global pressure and geopolitical instability in the Middle East have made energy issues "no longer a long-term issue, but rather an urgent one". He questioned member countries' readiness to harness this potential to meet regional needs and support ASEAN's energy transition.

Prabowo pushed for concrete steps to accelerate clean energy development in the BIMP-EAGA scope. Highlighted initiatives include hydropower development in Borneo Island, the expansion of solar energy projects in Palawan, the Philippines, and the utilization of wind energy in coastal areas, as well as solar energy acceleration in Indonesia.

"Our energy transition is moving at full speed. We are building 100 GW of solar power. Together, we are improving our energy infrastructure. BIMP-EAGA has great potential," the president said.

In addition to energy development, Prabowo discussed increasing the capacity of the Trans-Borneo Power Grid to ensure more efficient energy distribution within the island. The president assessed that this entire agenda requires financial and technical support, as well as deepening partnerships with regional advisors and development partners.