JAKARTA: Ambassador Datuk Syed Md Hasrin Tengku Hussin has called on all embassy staff, Malaysian expatriates, and students to continue supporting, both individually and organisationally, the mission of enhancing the image of the country in bilateral relations between Malaysia and Indonesia as well as at the ASEAN level.
He said that the embassy remains committed to strengthening bilateral relations for mutual benefit and believes that cooperation and friendship between the two countries will grow under the new President Prabowo Subianto, who will be appointed on Oct 20.
“Bilateral trade in 2023 reached US$24 billion (US$1=RM4.31), with Indonesia being our seventh-largest trading partner globally and the third-largest in ASEAN,“ he said at the embassy complex here on Saturday.
Speaking at the 67th Malaysian National Day celebrations, Syed Md Hasrin noted that Malaysia also remained the fifth-largest foreign investor last year with a value of US$4.1 billion, compared to US$ 3.3 billion in 2022.
In the tourism sector, a total of 3.1 million Indonesians visited Malaysia, while 1.9 million Malaysians travelled to Indonesia.
In the education sector, about 10,000 Indonesian students are studying in Malaysia, and around 1,200 Malaysian students are studying in Indonesia.
Touching on the National Day theme, he explained that ‘Malaysia Madani: Jiwa Merdeka’ was chosen to emphasise the importance of the nation remaining free and independent to determine its path to peace, prosperity, harmony, and well-being, both among its people and with the environment.
This is also in line with Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship for 2025, where Malaysia will continue the aspiration to form the ASEAN Community and launch a key document, ‘ASEAN Community Vision 2045,‘ as a guide for the regional community’s development over the next 20 years, he added.
Speaking to the media, Syed Md Hasrin said he received positive responses regarding support from both government and non-government entities in Indonesia toward Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN 2025 during various meetings.
“This is very important because Malaysia and Indonesia are among the cornerstone countries in ASEAN cooperation,“ he said.
Laos will hand over the ASEAN leadership for 2025 at the ASEAN Summit from Oct 8 to 11.
ASEAN, established on Aug 8, 1967, now comprises 10 countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam. Timor-Leste is still waiting to become a full member of the group.
