Malaysia, Australia can work together on common challenges - Australian FM

KUALA LUM[PUR: Malaysia and Australia can work together to overcome common challenges in food security, health and COVID-19 pandemic recovery efforts, says Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

Wong, who is currently on a three-day official visit to Malaysia, said both countries' pharmaceutical regulation agencies have been working together on COVID vaccine regulation, with Australia funding the efforts to ensure that the vaccines reaches the hard to reach populations in Malaysia.

The newly sworn-in minister who hails from Sabah also said that the two-way trade between both countries in agriculture, fisheries and forestry were valued at over AUS$2 billion (RM6 billion) and has enormous potential for growth.

"We supply more than 10 per cent of Malaysia's dairy, more than a quarter of its meat imports, and 80 per cent of Malaysia's wheat imports.

"There is much more we can do, and I note that Australia and Malaysia have committed to begin preparatory work on a general review of the Malaysia Australia Free Trade Agreement," she said in her speech during the networking brunch with government, business and civil society here today.

Also in attendance in the event is Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chairman Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Mohd Radzi, local politicians and members of the diplomatic corps.

Commenting further, Wong also suggested Malaysia and Australia to modernise trade relationship in order to take up more opportunities in the digital economy and address cyber security challenges.

She said Australia's trade agency, Austrade is working with the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation to promote research collaboration, capacity building, and technology exchange.

"And under our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, we are also expanding cooperation on cyber security to counter new threats and unleash new opportunities," she added.

Wong said next week, officials from across Malaysian national security community will convene in Putrajaya, Malaysia for the Digital Cyber Bootcamp - which is Australia's flagship cyber capacity building activity with regional partners to improve cyber resilience in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

"This is our first Bootcamp in Malaysia and will help build Malaysia's capacity across the full breadth of cyber affairs, covering topics such as critical infrastructure, global cyber governance and the application of international law in cyberspace," she added.

Before arriving in Malaysia, Wong was in Vietnam on Monday (June 27). After her appointment as the foreign minister early this month, she was in Indonesia with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

-- BERNAMA