Malaysian ambassador highlights strong bilateral ties, with trade hitting USD 26.6 billion and over 6 million people travelling between the nations last year.
JAKARTA: Malaysia-Indonesia relations are on solid ground and poised for greater growth, according to Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Datuk Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin.
He described the current state of bilateral relations as “very good bilateral relation, very excellent at all levels, be it at political, economic, as well as the people-to-people contact” during an appearance on Antara’s ‘International Corner’ TV programme.
The ambassador attributed the strength of the ties to the close friendship between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and President Prabowo Subianto, which has served as a strong impetus for engagement across sectors.
This leadership bond was reflected in seven reciprocal visits between the two leaders last year alone, with the Indonesian President visiting Malaysia five times and Malaysia’s Prime Minister travelling to Jakarta twice.
On the economic front, bilateral trade rose by 5.3% to USD 26.6 billion last year from USD 25.5 billion previously, a positive performance achieved despite global uncertainties.
People-to-people ties remain a central pillar, with Malaysians forming the largest group of foreign visitors to Indonesia for the past three years, including more than two million visits last year.
In the same period, about 4.2 million Indonesians travelled to Malaysia, further cementing the deep-rooted familial and cultural connections between the two nations.
Looking ahead, Syed Mohamad Hasrin identified food security, palm oil cooperation and the semiconductor industry as key areas with strong potential for deeper collaboration.
He highlighted that Malaysia and Indonesia, as the world’s two largest palm oil producers, are collaborating through the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries to counter negative campaigns from the West.
“If we just sit by quietly, working on our own to counter this campaign by our counterparts in the West, our voice will not be heard as strongly as we would like,” he said, emphasising the importance of a united front to protect an industry involving around 500,000 smallholders and two million workers.
In the semiconductor sector, the ambassador noted scope to combine Malaysia’s industry experience with Indonesia’s advantage in raw materials to ensure supply chain stability.
Regionally, he said ASEAN continues to provide an important platform for both countries to coordinate positions and strengthen cooperation, with a strong bilateral foundation contributing positively to regional stability.
