KUALA LUMPUR: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto was accorded a full state welcome at the Istana Negara today in conjunction with his state visit at the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.
Prabowo arrived at the palace at 10 am and was greeted by Sultan Ibrahim.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, as well as Deputy Prime Ministers Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi dan Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, were in attendance.
The welcoming ceremony at the Istana Negara Parade Ground began with the national anthems of both countries played by the Royal Malay Regiment Central Band, followed by a 21-gun salute from the 41st Battery of the Royal Artillery Regiment.
The Indonesian President then inspected the Main Guard of Honour consisting of three officers and 103 rank-and-file members of the First Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment, led by Major Azham Mohamad.
After the ceremony, Prabowo then proceeded to have an audience with Sultan Ibrahim at Dewan Seri Maharaja, during which he was also conferred the Darjah Kerabat Johor Yang Amat Dihormati I (The Most Esteemed Order of the Johor Royal I).
Sultan Ibrahim also hosted a state banquet in honour of the visiting president and his delegation.
According to Wisma Putra, the state visit reflects the strong and special bond of friendship between Malaysia and Indonesia and is also the first state visit by a foreign Head of State since the installation of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim as King of Malaysia.
It also represents the first state visit by Prabowo to a Southeast Asian country since his inauguration as President of the Republic of Indonesia on Oct 20 last year.
Later, Prabowo is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to exchange views on bilateral cooperation and regional and international issues of mutual interest at the PETRONAS Twin Tower in Kuala Lumpur.
As close neighbours with strong ties and founding members of ASEAN, this state visit reflects the commitment of both countries to elevate bilateral relations to a higher level for the prosperity and progress of both nations and the region at large.
Malaysia and Indonesia’s strategic ties encompass comprehensive cooperation across a wide range of areas, including politics, economy, defence, interconnectivity, education, and socio-culture.
From January to November last year, total bilateral trade between the two countries reached RM106.06 billion (USD23.2 billion), an increase from RM101.99 billion (USD22.41 billion) during the same period in 2023.
In 2023, Indonesia was Malaysia’s eighth-largest trading partner globally and the third-largest within ASEAN, with a total trade volume of RM111.21 billion (USD24.39 billion).
