‘Dr M’s policies boost ties with Japan’
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s strong bilateral ties with Japan will be taken to a higher level in accordance with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s policy on the importance of Malaysia’s relationship with Japan and the Look East Policy 2.0, Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said.
“The prime minister told the cabinet recently that his latest trip to Fukuoka, Japan, was fruitful,” he said at the presentation of a RM500,000 cheque for flood and heatwave victims in Japan to Japanese ambassador to Malaysia, Dr Makio Miyagawa, at Wisma Putra here yesterday.
Dr Mahathir has visited Japan twice, with the latest being early this month, after he was sworn in as the seventh prime minister on May 10.
Saifuddin said the aid reflected the solidarity and sympathy of Malaysians for victims of the disasters.
“The government and people of Malaysia offer our condolences to the government and people of Japan over its deadly floods and heatwave tragedies.
“Malaysia is a small country and is glad to present this contribution,” he said.
Malaysia, he said, was ready to support Japan and hoped that the contribution would help towards recovery efforts in the areas.
More than 100 people were killed and tens of thousands were rushed to hospitals due to heatstroke when a heatwave hit the country at the end of last month.
Before the heatwave set in, downpours from June to mid-July caused flooding and mudflows in southwestern Japan, leaving 225 people dead.