SEPANG: Timor-Leste's Vice Prime Minister Francisco Kalbuadi Lay has arrived in Malaysia for a four-day working visit.
He arrived with his delegation at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 at 8.55pm on a commercial flight and were greeted by the Foreign Ministry's Chief of Protocol Datuk Mohd Aini Atan.
Kalbuadi Lay's visit to Malaysia is expected to further strengthen and enhance bilateral ties between both countries and demonstrates Malaysia's support Timor-Leste's full membership into the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean).
Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah has consented to an audience by Kalbuadi Lay at Istana Negara on Dec 5, the second day of his visit.
Tomorrow, Kalbuadi Lay will have a four-eyed meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also Plantation and Commodities Minister, to discuss Malaysia and Timor-Leste ties as well international issues of mutual concern.
The Timor-Leste vice prime minister, who is also Tourism and Environment Minister, will then meet with his Malaysian counterpart, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing to discuss potential collaborations in the tourism sector.
Bilateral trade bilateral trade between Malaysia and Timor-Leste reached RM384.48 million (US$90.2 million) in 2022, an increase of 93.3 percent compared to 2021, valued at RM194.09 million (US$46.6 million). – BERNAMA