Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan’s maiden visit to Indonesia as the Foreign Minister in December 2024 was described as a fruitful one as he paid a courtesy call on Indonesian President Joko Widodo and held discussions with his counterpart Retno Marsudi in Jakarta.
According to a statement issued by Wisma Putra on Tuesday (Feb 6), Mohamad’s visit was aimed at strengthening the partnership between Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as enhancing cooperation at the Asean level.
The statement also highlighted the Foreign Minister’s commitment to intensifying border trade activities at Tebedu and Entikong in West Kalimantan, which is expected to help reach a target of US$30bil (RM142.98bil) in annual trade, as agreed to by both leaders.
Mohamad and his Indonesian counterpart also held discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest, with a focus on the progress of bilateral cooperation and new potential avenues towards further strengthening the existing partnership.
Additionally, they exchanged views on regional and global developments, including the situation in Myanmar and the conflict in Palestine. The issue of discrimination against palm oil, considering that Malaysia and Indonesia are the world’s leading exporters of the commodity, was also on the agenda of the meeting.
The crisis in Myanmar was another crucial topic of discussion during Mohamad’s visit. He emphasized the importance of Asean unity in addressing this issue and discussed the possibility of resolving the crisis through Asean with his Indonesian counterpart.
