Timor-Leste’s Vice Prime Minister Francisco Kalbuadi Lay has arrived in Malaysia for a four-day working visit. He and his delegation arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1 at 8.55pm on Sunday (Dec 3) on a commercial flight and were greeted by the Foreign Ministry’s protocol chief Datuk Mohd Aini Atan.
Kalbuadi Lay’s visit to Malaysia is expected to further strengthen and enhance bilateral ties between both countries and demonstrates Malaysia’s support for Timor-Leste’s full membership into Asean. On Dec 5, the second day of his visit, Kalbuadi Lay will be audience to Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah at Istana Negara. The consent signifies Malaysia’s willingness to engage in discussions for mutual benefit.
Tomorrow, Kalbuadi Lay has a scheduled meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also Plantation and Commodities Minister, to discuss Malaysia and Timor-Leste ties as well as international issues of mutual concern. This meeting aims to facilitate cooperation and collaboration between the two countries.
Furthermore, Kalbuadi Lay, who also holds the position of Timor-Leste’s Tourism and Environment Minister, will meet with his Malaysian counterpart, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing to explore potential collaborations in the tourism sector. This meeting seeks to identify areas where both countries can work together to promote tourism and cultural exchanges.
Bilateral trade between Malaysia and Timor-Leste has been on the rise, reaching RM384.48mil (US$90.2mil) in 2022, an increase of 93.3% compared to 2021, when it was valued at RM194.09mil (US$46.6mil). This increase in trade reflects the growing economic ties between the two countries.
