70 Years Of Diplomatic Ties: Malaysia Considers Indonesia Important Strategic Partner
By Nik Nurfaqih Nik Wil
JAKARTA, Oct 28 (Bernama) -- Approaching the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year, Malaysia considers Indonesia not just a neighbouring country, but an important strategic partner in building an ASEAN region that is peaceful, stable, prosperous, and competitive.
Ambassador-Designate of Malaysia to Indonesia Muzafar Shah Mustafa said the ties that have been fostered for nearly seven decades reflect a close friendship that continues to be deepened through economic, educational, and cultural cooperation, as well as people-to-people ties.
“We hope that this relationship will continue to flourish through cooperation that is even more strategic, dynamic, and beneficial to the people of both countries,” he said in his address at the Rentak Serumpun: Simfoni Apresiasi dan Warisan Budaya programme at IPB University in Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday night.
Muzafar said the programme, which showcased Malaysian cultures and cuisine, was not only a celebration of the various arts and heritage of the two countries, but also a reflection of the close ties between the people of both nations manifested in music, dance, customs and traditions, family values, mutual respect, and shared responsibility.
“Culture is not just a vestige of the past, but an identity that needs to be preserved and handed down to the next generation,” he said.
Muzafar hoped that the programme would serve as a platform for closer cooperation in the arts, culture, and education.
Elaborating on the bilateral ties, he said Malaysia-Indonesia cooperation takes place in sectors that include politics, trade and investment, defence, education, energy, food security, and the digital economy.
In economy, Muzafar said Malaysia ranks among the top investors in Indonesia, with an investment value of approximately US$4.5 billion in 2025 – reflecting the Malaysian business community’s sustained confidence in the nation’s economic potential.
In education, 1,096 Malaysian students are actively pursuing their studies at higher education institutions across Indonesia, including 192 at IPB University, while 12,961 Indonesian students are furthering their studies in Malaysia.
Touching on tourism, Muzafar informed that more than 2.63 million Malaysians visited Indonesia in 2025, while Malaysia received some 4.26 million Indonesian visitors in the same period, in addition to recording about 2.69 million visits from the republic in the period from January to August 2026.
Muzafar said the close ties between the two nations are also evident in the exchange of high-level visits, including five by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to Malaysia and two by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to Indonesia in 2025.
The relationship has been further reinforced through a series of official visits throughout 2026, including those by Anwar on March 27, Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof from Feb 10 to 12 and Deputy Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi from Sept 17 to 20.
-- BERNAMA
