KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 — Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz has held discussions with leaders from Singapore and Indonesia to enhance and strengthen economic cooperation for the mutual benefit of the three countries.
“I had the opportunity to engage with counterparts from our neighbouring nations — Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Indonesia’s Economic Affairs Coordinating Minister Airlangga Hartarto.
“Our main focus was to improve and deepen trilateral economic cooperation for our shared benefit,” he said in a post on X, adding that he is currently in Indonesia.
Tengku Zafrul is one of four ministers accompanying Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on an official visit to Indonesia today.
The other ministers are Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, and Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
Commenting further, Tengku Zafrul said the discussions, held against a backdrop of ongoing geopolitical challenges, also touched on Asean’s role in navigating the increasingly complex geoeconomic landscape.
In 2024, Indonesia was Malaysia’s sixth-largest global trading partner and the second-largest among Asean members.
In the same period, bilateral trade rose 4.5 per cent to RM116.29 billion from RM111.21 billion in 2023.
In a statement yesterday, the Foreign Ministry said Anwar, who is also finance minister, undertook the trip in return for Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to Malaysia earlier this year.
“This visit forms part of preparations for the 13th Annual Consultation between Malaysia and Indonesia, scheduled for later this year,” the statement added.
— Bernama
