Jakarta, May 7 -- President Prabowo Subianto urged ASEAN countries to accelerate the development of energy networks, noting that energy security is a critical challenge that must be addressed collectively amid global pressures and geopolitical instability in the Middle East.

In a statement on Thursday, Prabowo said this situation has turned energy issues from a long-term challenge into an urgent necessity requiring immediate action.

"Energy security is one of the important issues we face today. With increasing global pressures and instability in the Middle East, this is no longer a long-term problem, but an urgent one," he conveyed during his speech at the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAG...