TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will pay a visit to Indonesia. Both Malaysia and Indonesia have expressed a desire to maintain good relations after Anwar became prime minister.

"There is a plan for the new prime minister to visit Indonesia and the timing is still being decided," the ministry's spokesman Teuku Faizasyah told Tempo on Monday, November 28.

Tempo contacted the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta for confirmation but has not received a reply yet.

President Joko Widodo congratulated Anwar Ibrahim not long after he was elected as prime minister on 24 November. "I hope we can meet soon to discuss efforts to strengthen our bilateral relations in economy, border issues, and the protection of our citizens," Jokowi said.

In his conversation with Jokowi, Anwar also hoped that the Indonesia-Malaysia trade, investment, cultural and friendship relations can keep improving. Malaysia is Indonesia's second-largest trading partner and the 8th largest investor in 2021 with a trade value that increased 45% that year.

Some time ago, the neighboring countries also agreed to increase cooperation in the fields of education, customs. Indonesia and Malaysia also have an MoU to cooperate in the placement and protection of Indonesian migrant workers.

DANIEL AHMAD

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