NIGERIA TO STRENGTHEN TIES WITH MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 (Bernama) -- Nigeria, celebrating its 49th
independence anniversary tomorrow, wants to forge stronger ties with Malaysia in
all sectors, High Commissioner to Malaysia Peter J. E. Anegbeh said Wednesday.

Describing Abuja-Kuala Lumpur ties as "solid and cordial", he said that
people-to-people relations were on a good track as more Malaysians were visiting
Nigeria and vice-versa, a positive sign for more business ties between the two
countries.

Educational linkages were also moving on a stronger footing with currently
more than 7,500 Nigerians studying in Malaysia and many more expected to
pursue their education here, in the years to come.

Anegbeh said the two Commonwealth countries also shared similar views on
issues besetting the developing world at the international fora such as the
United Nations, Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), Developing Eight
(D-8) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

"Trade-wise...there is a lot of traffic (movement). Visa applications to
Nigeria had also increased significantly," he said in an interview with Bernama
at his office here Wednesday.

However, Anegbeh's message to Malaysia, especially the business community,
was that they should utilise the huge business opportunities in his resource-
rich country, where many of the resources, ranging from minerals to tourism,
were yet to be fully tapped.

He said Malaysia should emulate countries like China, Japan and South Korea
which had a strong presence in Nigeria in selected sectors.

Nigeria, also known as the 'Giant of Africa', the continent's most
populous nation with about 140 million people, continues to witness political
and economic stability, since the restoration of civilian rule in 1999.

On Nigerians arrested for criminal activities in Malaysia, Anegbeh urged
Malaysians to discard the negative perception that most of the Africans arrested
for criminal activities in Malaysia were Nigerian citizens.

"Please investigate properly...avoid profiling and stereotyping of Nigerians
based on the action of a few people. In this globalised world, we need to live
together," he said.

In looking back at its achievements since independence from Britain in
1960,
Anegbeh said Nigeria had achieved many successes, including education, as
evident from the large number of Nigerian professionals working in foreign
countries such as Malaysia, Britain, Saudi Arabia and Europe.

Despite the challenges, Anegbeh said Nigeria continued to move on
confidently under the leadership of President Umaru Musa YarAdua who had
introduced a seven-point developmental agenda after his election to office in
2007.

It comprises Power and Energy, Food Security and Agriculture, Wealth
Creation and Employment, Mass Transportation, Land Reform, Security and
Qualitative and Functional Education.

-- BERNAMA