Dewan Rakyat Speaker to lead delegation to Japan

KUALA LUMPUR: Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul will lead a Malaysian parliamentary delegation to Japan for a five-day visit starting on Monday (June 3).

The Office of the Dewan Rakyat Speaker said in a statement on Friday (May 31) that the official visit is at the invitation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan, Fukushiro Nukaga.

"This official visit aims to strengthen the relationship between the Malaysian Parliament and the Japanese Parliament following the enhancement of Malaysia-Japan relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in December 2023.

"Furthermore, this visit aims to enhance ASEAN-Japan cooperation in various fields, particularly the exchange of expertise in food security, climate change, and sustainable development ahead of the Malaysian Parliament's chairmanship of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in 2025," it said.

According to the statement, also joining the Malaysian delegation are Parliament’s International Affairs Special Select Committee member Sim Tze Sin (Bayan Baru MP); Environment, Science and Plantation Special Select Committee member Vivian Wong Shir Yee (Sandakan MP); and Nation Building, Education and Human Resource Development Special Select Committee member Datuk Shamshulkahar Mohd Deli (Jempol MP).

As part of the official visit, Johari is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on the president of the House of Councillors at the Japanese Parliament (National Diet) Hidehisa Otsuji on June 4.

He is also scheduled to meet the Minister for Digital Transformation of Japan to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the legislative and executive institutions in drafting laws on artificial intelligence (AI) and cyber security.

Johari will also hold a meeting with Malaysian students in Japan as well as Japanese students from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies (TUFS) to exchange views and experiences on topics such as youth leadership development.

The official visit is also expected to strengthen Malaysia-Japan cooperation in sustainable agriculture through a visit to the Japan International Research Centre for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS), and explore research and innovation opportunities in cancer treatment through a visit to the Osaka Heavy Ion Therapy Centre in Osaka. – Bernama