by BERNAMA/ pic by BERNAMA

YANG di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah will make a state visit to Indonesia from today until Aug 29.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement yesterday said His Majesty is accompanied by the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.

The close ties between the two countries were also translated by the Indonesian President Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, who made his first visit to Malaysia on Aug 9, after he was re-elected for the second term in the Indonesian Presidential Election on April 17.

“The programmes arranged for the state visit will include a state welcoming ceremony and, an audience and a state banquet hosted by Jokowi at the Bogor Presidential Palace.

“Their Majesties have consented to attend a high-tea with the Malaysian diaspora in Indonesia and to visit Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta,” the statement said.

Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Zainal Abidin Bakar, when met, said the focus of the state visit was aimed at firming the ties that had existed since Malaysia achieved independence in 1957.

“The visit will foster the bilateral cooperation between Malaysia and Indonesia, especially in economy which encompasses the aspects of investment, trade and tourism, and education,’’ he said when met at the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta yesterday.

Zainal Abidin said almost 4,000 Malaysian students are studying in the republic, while 11,000 Indonesian students are in Malaysia.

“That is the aspect that we want to create, so that more tourists and students from Indonesia will continue to come to Malaysia, to simultaneously develop cordial ties between the two countries,” he said.

Their Majesties’ delegation includes Minister of Economic Affairs Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, who is also the minister in attendance, and senior officials from the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Istana Negara and the Prime Minister’s Department. Their Majesties will also visit Yogyakarta and meet with the Sultan and Governor of Special Region of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, and tour several historical sites in the city.

The visit symbolises the warm and close bilateral relations between Malaysia and Indonesia, and will contribute to further cementing the existing bond of friendship which was established 62 years ago, it said.— Bernama