DPM ends visit to Sri Lanka on an optimistic note

COLOMBO: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi ended his two-day official visit to Sri Lanka on a high note, having secured various incentives and agreement on plans to boost the bilateral ties between the two countries.

During his meetings with several Sri Lanka government leaders, its government has offered incentives, including lower taxes and land ownership to Malaysian business community.

“Sri Lanka is offering Malaysian companies to invest in infrastructure projects and civil engineering.

They hope to sign a number of FTAs with Malaysia soon,” he told reporters at the end of his programme here yesterday.

Sri Lanka, he said, has asked Malaysia to become a member of the Bengal Bay Economic Caucus, to enable the country to develop more trade and investment ties with countries located in the area.

During his two-day visit, Dr Ahmad Zahid met Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickre­mesinghe and several Sri Lankan Cabinet ministers.

On foreign workers, Dr Ahmad Zahid said, a request was made by Sime Darby Group Bhd for 5,000 workers from Sri Lanka to replace Indonesian and Bangladesh workers in Malaysia.

“The request will be studied by the Home Ministry and the Human Resources Ministry before it can be brought to the Cabinet for approval,” he added.

On tourism, he said Sri Lanka has asked Malaysian hotel operators to invest on the island.

“The country now has 12,000 hotel rooms and they need to build 10,000 more.

“We also hope to finalise the e-visa procedures for Sri Lankan tourists to come to Malaysia.

“There has been a downward trend of their tourists coming to Malaysia, and we hope Tourism Malaysia will do more to promote our country through awareness, advertising and promotion campaigns in Sri Lanka,” he added.

Dr Ahmad Zahid also attended a luncheon gathering with the Malay community in Sri Lanka yesterday.

He said there are about 70,000 Malays in Sri Lanka who are descendants of Malays from Malaysia.

“They requested Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka and the Education Ministry to send officers and teachers to teach them Bahasa Melayu and to help them expand the Malay culture among their community,” he said.

He added that the Sri Lankan Malay community is mostly involved in trade activities.

Dr Ahmad Zahid also said the Malays here would also receive US$100,000 (RM400,000) donated from a foundation for the construction of an Islamic Centre in Colombo to allow the community to hold community programmes and organise activities.