MalaysiaIndonesia relations to be further enhanced
KOTA KINABALU: Indonesia Consul in Tawau, Sulistijo Djati Simojo said the existing MalaysiaIndonesia bilateral relations, particularly between Sabah and North Kalimantan, would continue to be enhanced.
He said it was the wishes of the Indonesian government that the cooperation between the two countries that had existed for so long should be expanded in various fields.
“In addition to congratulating the Chief Minister, the Indonesian government wants this good cooperation to be enhanced in various areas such as economy, socio-cultural and protection to our people in Sabah,” he said when met by the media after paying a courtesy call on Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal here yesterday.
“We are also grateful to Sabah as we have provided the best services and facilities for the children of plantation sector workers who have access to education.”
According to Sulistijo, the number of Indonesians in Sabah now reaches more than 200,000 people in Kota Kinabalu and about 150,000 are in Tawau.
In this regard, he urged the Malaysian government that security control in the East Coast of Sabah be given special attention following several kidnapping cases involving citizens who also worked as fishermen.
Commenting on barter trade activities that will resume operation in January, he said the Indonesiam government was very pleased and appreciated the Sabah newly minted state government’s recent decision to resume the trade activity.
The barter trade was banned on April 6, 2016 by the previous state government as part of its efforts in curbing kidnapping incidents in the state.