Idris’ visit a top priority, says Suriname govt

MELAKA: The Suriname government is treating the upcoming visit by Melaka chief minister to the former Dutch colony as a top priority.

Henk Herrenberg, the senior policy adviser to the Suriname president, is eager to build a close working relationship with Melaka and has placed the state visit by Datuk Seri Idris Haron as a top agenda.

Herrenberg is treating the visit as an important mission, just like for its trading partners, the United States and China.

A spokesman for Herrenberg, Dr Herman Nyam, said Idris’ visit is being slotted for mid-January.

“We were told that Malaysia is preparing for the 14th general election next year and we are hoping to have the visit by the second week of January,” Dr Nyam said from Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname.

“Herrenberg is keen to work with a state or country which can help to strengthen Suriname’s agricultural and tourism industries and provide new economic opportunities to the locals and Melaka could augment for the country’s Development Plan 20172021 (Suriname 2021),” he said.

Apart from that, the South American country hopes to get input on replanting its virgin jungles with oil palm and other cash-rich crops.

Suriname also hopes to get input from Idris on how to improve its tourism industry.

“In return, we will look into the possibility of sending timber to Malaysia through the Melaka Port,” Dr Nyam said.