PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim stated that the expertise of the Netherlands will not only be sought to enhance Malaysia’s flood mitigation systems but also to reduce the country’s flood management expenditure. He emphasized that with the help of Dutch experts, Malaysia could potentially decrease the billions of ringgit spent annually on managing floods.
Anwar shared that during a meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, he discussed the urgent need to enhance the rivers’ capacity to handle frequent floods in Malaysia. He also mentioned that the country’s expenditure on floods had recently reached RM15 billion. According to Anwar, Rutte expressed his belief that with the application of expertise and new technology, the cost could be significantly reduced. Anwar further noted that Rutte assured him of expediting the deployment of experts to Malaysia. Additionally, Malaysia has agreed to conduct excavation and recovery works for old sunken ships, including those owned by the Netherlands, within its territorial waters based on certain conditions.
Anwar also highlighted the agreement between Malaysia and the Netherlands to strengthen collaboration in the semiconductor industry, as well as the digital and artificial intelligence fields. He suggested that Malaysia can benefit from the Dutch experience in direct government participation to enhance efforts in the semiconductor industry, while the Netherlands can learn from Malaysia’s private sector involvement in this domain.
Last year, the Netherlands ranked as Malaysia’s 14th largest trading partner and the second largest within the European Union (EU). The total trade between the two countries amounted to RM48.04 billion, reflecting a 33.4% increase compared to the RM36.01 billion in the previous year. Notably, the Netherlands serves as the top palm oil importer from Malaysia among EU member states, with a volume of 732,324.54 tonnes.
Anwar also mentioned that the Netherlands supports Malaysia’s stance on the Palestine issue and agrees that an immediate ceasefire is necessary to halt the Israeli attacks. He stated that Rutte pledged to contact the Israeli leader and seek negotiations through Qatar. Additionally, Rutte agreed to discuss further measures with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. Anwar expressed his appreciation for Rutte’s receptive approach in listening and exchanging views on Palestine, affirming that Malaysia’s perspectives would be conveyed to other European leaders.
