Tuesday July 8, 2008
Joint advisory body set up to foster closer KL-Jakarta ties
Reports by MAZWIN NIK ANIS, TEH ENG HOCK and JO TEH
Pak Lah: Focus on global issues
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Indonesia, which have enjoyed 50 years of diplomatic relations, will not let “minor glitches, hitches and misunderstandings” affect their relationship.
Both countries, realising how “sensitive” their relationship can be, have decided to form an Eminent Persons Group (EPG), whose main responsibility is to find ways for the government and people of both countries to continue to nurture and foster good relations.
Neighbourly diplomacy: Abdullah shaking hands with Susilo after exchanging the name lists for the EPG in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. The group, comprising seven representatives each from Malaysia and Indonesia, was formalised yesterday with both Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono issuing an order for the group to start work as soon as possible.
The EPG will function as the highest advisory body in Malaysia and Indonesia and will submit reports to the leaders to ensure proposals and recommendations are discussed at their annual consultations.
Abdullah said that the setting up of the EPG, with former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Musa Hitam leading the Malaysian side, was crucial for the future relations of both countries.
“We have had excellent relations for years. It is extremely important that this relationship we have is not only maintained but brought to a higher level in the future.
“We also hope that with the group established, the area of co-operation and relations between both countries can be expanded through their suggestions and innovative ideas,” he said.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Susilo, the Prime Minister stressed that Malaysia's intention in having warm relations with Indonesia was genuine and that it went beyond than just being neighbours but more as “brothers and sisters”.
Abdullah expressed the hope that Malaysia's relations with Indonesia would lead to both countries prospering one another and that they would have a common stand on regional and international issues.
He said there were two areas which the EPG could look into, namely on how the young could “connect and keep in contact” and to explore the many economic possibilities that both sides could venture into.
Susilo said that he too agreed that relations currently enjoyed by both countries should be nurtured further, adding that there were always new opportunities for both parties to strengthen their relations and co-operation.
He said the EPG was not replacing the present mechanism responsible for the bilateral relations of Indonesia and Malaysia but its task was to recommend how to boost relations between governments and enhance “people to people contact”.
“We must not allow our strategic partnership be disrupted by trivial issues that we can easily rectify in a friendly.
“There will be times that our relations will be tested.
“But as friends and neighbours, we must be wise and quick in finding solutions and this is where the EPG will play its role,” said Susilo.
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