Malaysia-Indonesia heighten trade, investment & halal ties

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia and Indonesia today further heightened their collaboration on trade, investment and halal sector following the signing of agreements in conjunction with the visit by Indonesian President Joko Widodo and his delegation to Malaysia.

Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz and his Indonesian counterpart Minister of Trade Zulkifli Hasan, representing Malaysia and Indonesia, sealed the border trade agreement and memorandum of understanding on investment promotion cooperation during the bilateral instrument signing ceremony at Seri Perdana Complex here, today.

The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) director-general Hakimah Mohd Yusoff and head of the Halal Product Assurance Agency Indonesia Muhammad Aqil Irham signed the mutual cooperation on recognition of halal certification for halal products.

Malaysia also sealed the agreement on border crossing signed by Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Indonesia's Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian.

Joko Widodo is on a two-day working visit to Malaysia at the invitation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, starting Wednesday, to further strengthen the longstanding and close relations between the two economies.

Indonesia was Malaysia's sixth largest trading partner and second largest among Asean member states in 2022 with total trade of RM130.14 billion (US$29.55 billion).

This was an increment of 36.5 per cent compared with RM95.31 billion (US$22.98 billion) in 2021.

-- BERNAMA