PETALING JAYA: The Transport Ministry is finalising details for the mutual recognition of driving licences between Malaysia and the Maldives, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The Transport Minister said he had held bilateral talks with the island republic's Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Aishath Nahula on the sidelines of the 32nd International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Assembly on Tuesday (Nov 7) in London.
"We managed to sort out a few outstanding issues between our respective countries related to land transport and maritime issues.
"These include finalising details to mutually recognise driving licences and the Transport Ministry will send the paperwork to their Maldivian counterparts soon," the MCA president said in a Facebook post Tuesday night.
He added that the Transport Minister would also table, in Cabinet, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Maldives to mutually recognise the island nation's certificates of competency in line with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping of Seafarers 1976.
"The MOA was signed two years ago but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.
Dr Wee also held a bilateral meeting with the Pakistan delegation, led by its Federal Minister of Maritime Affairs Syed Ali Haider Zaidi.
"Minister Syed Ali and I exchanged views about ports and logistics developments and future prospects. We expressed mutual interest in cooperating to develop marine support services in the region.
"Pakistan prioritises Malaysia and has invited more Malaysian companies to invest there," Dr Wee said in a separate post.
He added that he invited the Pakistani delegation to hold further discussion with the Port Klang Authority and the Marine Department to exchange expertise on port development.
Dr Wee was accompanied by Transport Ministry secretary-general Datuk Isham Ishak, Marine Department director-general Datuk Baharin Abdul Hamid, Port Klang Authority general manager Capt K. Subramaniam and Malaysia's maritime attache in London, Mohd Farioz Rozali.
