JAKARTA: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has arrived in Indonesia for a working visit aimed at strengthening Malaysia-Indonesia cooperation in disaster management, including forest and land fires, as well as the halal industry and rural development.
The Deputy Prime Minister arrived at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport here at 1.15pm local time on Wednesday (Sept 16) and was welcomed by Malaysian Ambassador-designate to Indonesia Datuk Muzaffar Shah Mustafa, head of Indonesia's Halal Product Assurance Organising Agency (BPJPH) Ahmad Haikal Hasan and Indonesian officials.
Ahmad Zahid is scheduled to hold a meeting with Indonesian Vice-President Gibran Rakabuming Raka at the Vice-Presidential Palace.
Gibran is expected to be accompanied by Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian, Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono, Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions Minister Yandri Susanto and Environment Minister Mohamad Jumhur Hidayat.
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Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, is scheduled to proceed to the Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions Ministry later on Thursday where the two ministers are set to sign a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in rural development.
The four-day visit, which ends on Sunday (Sept 20), is at the invitation of BPJPH in conjunction with the fifth Halal 20 (H20) Summit.
Ahmad Zahid is scheduled to attend the summit's opening ceremony on Friday (Sept 18) and participate as a panellist in a session on regional halal cooperation.
Malaysia-Indonesia bilateral trade reached US$24.22bil (RM99.21bil) in 2025, while Malaysia remained Indonesia's fourth-largest investor, with investments amounting to US$4.5bil (RM18.43bil).
People-to-people ties also remained strong, with more than 2.63 million Malaysians visiting Indonesia last year, making Malaysia the republic's largest source of foreign tourists, while 4.26 million Indonesians visited Malaysia. – Bernama
