Malaysia-Indonesia Ties At Best Ever Level

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), Jan 27 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi regards the Malaysia-Indonesia ties being at its most excellent and extraordinary level when issues are solved via discussions. He said Malaysia was committed to boost further the bilateral ties and was prepared to cooperate with Indonesia which was campaigning to get a non-ermanent member's seat on the United Nations Security Council. "The Malaysia-Indonesia cooperation will continue to be upgraded for the good of both nations, and ASEAN in general," he told reporters after receiving a courtesy call by outgoing Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia, Herman Prayitno at his office here Thursday. Commenting on his meeting with Herman, Ahmad Zahid said he expressed the Malaysian government's satisfaction at the bilateral ties between both countries regarding Indonesia as an important neighbour. He said the Malaysian government also appreciated Herman's role in ensuring information on Malaysia was accurately reported by the Indonesian media to avoid any controversy and misunderstanding between the two nations. Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, said, in the effort to eradicate the Daesh militants in the region, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines had formed a three-party cooperation to eradicate terrorists, would-be terrorists from getting training and terrorist sympathisers. Meanwhile, Herman said Indonesia was serious in ensuring forest fires did not occur this year so that Malaysia would not face the haze. He said President Joko Widodo, in a Cabinet meeting recently, ordered all quarters to be prepared to control forest fires this year. "Hopefully, Indonesia will no longer have to borrow the Bombardier aircraft from Malaysia (to put out forest fires) and Malaysia is free of the haze from Indonesia this year," he said. On the Indonesia manpower in Malaysia, Herman suggested that a mechanism be set up so that all Indonesian workers could work legally in Malaysia. "At the same time, Malaysian employers should also not recruit illegal Indonesian workers," he said. Sharing sweet memories of his four years of service in Malaysia, Herman said among them were when Prime Minister Najib Razak visited Indonesia four times and President Joko Widodo also visited Malaysia four times. Herman will end his posting here on Jan 31 and to be replaced by a member of the Presidential Advisory Council, Rusdi Kirana, who also owns Indonesian budget carrier, Lion Air. --BERNAMA