JAKARTA: Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta have embarked on renewed commitments to not only strengthen the nations' bilateral relations, but also pledged to resolve their thorny issues.
Malaysia, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said, would not allow any of these issues to fester and risk affecting the two countries' healthy relations.
At a session in Istana Bogor today where both Anwar and Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) issued a joint-statement, the prime minister told the Indonesian President that he would do his best to resolve issues of concern to Jakarta.
They include the welfare and treatment of Indonesian workers in Malaysia, education opportunities of the country's young and border demarcation issues, matters that Jokowi had underlined in his statement.
Anwar said, as Jokowi gave him a look of confidence, that Kuala Lumpur would work closely with Jakarta to ensure the recruitment of Indonesian workers would only be through legal channels.
Jokowi had asked Anwar's political will in formalising a one-stop recruitment centre for the purpose of his people seek job opportunities in Malaysia.
In further cementing the Kuala Lumpur-Jakarta relations which is in its 66th year, Anwar said economic and investment opportunities looked set to soar, more so with the republic shifting its capital to Nusantara.
Both leaders at the session witnessed the handover of 11 Letters of Intent (LoI) between International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz and Nusantara chief authority Bambang Susantono.
This involves an initial value of some RM1 billion.
Malaysia and Indonesia's strategic economic and investment partnership registered a bilateral trade value of at least RM120.26 billion last year.
This is an increase of 41.7 per cent from the year before.
Jokowi in his statement said Jakarta welcomed Malaysian companies' participation in Nusantara, especially in areas like construction, properties, electronics and energy.
"I am also personally honoured that Indonesia is the first stop.
"I believe with our strong relationship our bilateral ties will be even stronger," the President said adding that he hoped for Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta to be able to effectively counter discrimination against their oil palm industry.
Anwar who is on a two-day working visit here, was also accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari and Malaysian Embassy Charge d Affaires (CDA)/Plt Adlan Mohd Shaffieq.