Anwar’s visit to Jakarta will boost economic ties
07 Jan 2023
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s maiden working trip to Indonesia is expected to boost economic collaboration between both countries.
Indonesia is Malaysia’s sixth largest global trading partner, and the country’s second largest in Asean.
Despite the global economic slowdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysia-Indonesia’s total trade grew by 41.7 per cent from RM95.31 billion in 2021 to RM120.26 billion for January to November last year.
Anwar’s two-day visit is at the invitation of President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi.
He leaves for Jakarta tomorrow and will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir and International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
Anwar will meet Jokowi at the Presidential Palace in Bogor on Monday, where both leaders will review Malaysian-Indonesian relations, and discuss strategies to tackle regional and global challenges.
Zambry today said the main issue that would be explored during Anwar’s visit was economic cooperation, including potential investment by Malaysia in Indonesia’s new capital in Nusantara, Kalimantan.
“The leaders are also expected to talk about palm oil discrimination by European nations, land demarcation and maritime delimitation issues, the employment and protection of Indonesian migrant workers, and Indonesia’s position as Asean chair this year.
“Eight memorandums of understanding will be signed between the Malaysian and Indonesian private sectors.”
Zambry said Anwar would attend a ceremony to hand over 11 letters of interest by Malaysian companies to Nusantara capital authority head Bambang Susantono, registering Malaysia’s interests to work with Indonesia in developing the city.
“The development of the new capital city in Kalimantan will provide Malaysia with more opportunities, particularly for Sabah and Sarawak, who may benefit from the development there.
“This is a significant visit for Malaysia. I was in Indonesia just last week and I have seen how Anwar’s visit will hugely impact Malaysian-Indonesian ties.”
Anwar, who is also finance minister, would deliver a lecture on Malaysian-Indonesian relations in Jakarta on Monday, and hold an engagement session with the Malaysian diaspora there, he said.
Source: NST
