SEPANG: Eight memorandums of understanding are expected to be signed between Malaysia and Indonesia during Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit to the neighbouring country, says Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir.
The Foreign Minister said the agreements involved the private sectors of both nations.
He, however, did not reveal the contents.
He said there would also be a ceremony to hand over 11 letters of interest by Malaysian companies to Bambang Susantono, who heads the Nusantara Capital City Authority, a special agency tasked with managing and governing Nusantara city, the future capital of Indonesia.
The Malaysian firms are registering their interest in working closely with Indonesia to develop the city located in Kalimantan, he added.
Anwar arrives in Indonesia today on his maiden visit as the 10th Prime Minister.
During his two-day visit, Anwar will meet Indonesian president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at Istana Bogor tomorrow.
He will be accompanied by Zambry as well as International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
Speaking to the media at KL International Airport yesterday, Zambry said the visit would focus on issues relating to border demarcation, trade, migrant workers and palm oil, among others.
“The topics that will be discussed include economic cooperation such as Malaysia’s potential investments in Nusantara, strategies to address the discrimination against palm oil by the European Union, land demarcation and maritime delimitation issues,” he said.
There will also be discussions on the employment and protection of Indonesian migrant workers, as well as Asean issues as Indonesia takes over the group’s chairmanship this year, he said.
Zambry said Anwar is also scheduled to deliver a public lecture on Malaysia-Indonesia Strategic Relations, and attend an event with the Malaysian diaspora in Jakarta.
In 2021, Indonesia was Malaysia’s seventh largest global trading partner and third within Asean with total trade valued at RM95.31bil.
In the first 11 months last year, Indonesia was Malaysia’s sixth largest trading partner globally and the second largest within Asean with a total trade volume of RM120.26bil, a 41.7% increase compared with the same period in 2021.
Meanwhile, Zambry said the new ambassador candidate to Indonesia had been chosen.
The process is being finalised and Anwar will announce it, he added.
