Indonesia's President Prabowo To Make Landmark State Visit To Malaysia Monday

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 26 (Bernama) -- Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto will undertake a state visit to Malaysia on Monday at the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, according to the Malaysian Foreign Ministry.

Prabowo will be accompanied by cabinet ministers and senior government officials, the ministry, widely known as Wisma Putra, said in a statement on Sunday.

Wisma Putra emphasised that this visit underscores the strong and special bond of friendship between Malaysia and Indonesia.

It marks the first state visit by a foreign head of state to Malaysia following the installation of Sultan Ibrahim as King of Malaysia, it said.

“It also represents the first state visit by President Prabowo to a Southeast Asian country since his inauguration as president of Indonesia on Oct 20, 2024,” said Wisma Putra.

During the visit, Prabowo will be welcomed with a state welcoming ceremony, followed by an audience with Sultan Ibrahim.

His Majesty will also graciously host a state banquet in honour of the president and his delegation.

“As close neighbours with strong ties and founding members of ASEAN, this state visit reflects the commitment of both countries to elevate their bilateral relations to a higher level for the prosperity and progress of both nations, as well as for the region at large.

“The enduring, harmonious and strategic ties encompass comprehensive cooperation across a wide range of areas, including politics, economy, defence, interconnectivity, education and socio-culture," said the statement.

From January to November 2024, the total bilateral trade between the two countries reached RM106.06 billion (US$23.2 billion), an increase from RM101.99 billion (US$22.41 billion) recorded during the same period in 2023.

In 2023, Indonesia was Malaysia's eighth largest trading partner globally and the third largest within ASEAN, with a total trade volume of RM111.21 billion (US$24.39 billion).

-- BERNAMA