Kuala Lumpur, Sept 21 (ANTARA News) - Indonesia Trade Association (ITA) commemorated its 13th anniversary here on Thursday evening with a commitment to assisting its Malaysian business people who want and plan to invest in Indonesia.

"The business products of our members should be able to become market leaders in Malaysia, and we are helping the Malaysian investors wanting to invest in our country," ITA Chairman Hotman Wangi said.

For this purpose, as the association of the Indonesian business community members in Malaysia, ITA would evaluate its members by having a better collaboration with the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur, he said.

Hotman Wangi further said ITA members also expected to be able to build a stronger business cooperation with the Malaysian companies in the future.

"ITA is a friend that has never said `no` whenever it is asked to promote our products and to get involved in training programs," he said adding that the Malaysian Government was also expected to support all business communities in the country.

The commemorative event of ITA`s 13th anniversary was attended by its members and important guests, including Deputy Indonesian Ambassador Khrisna Hannan.

Hannan, who is also in charge of economic affairs at the Indonesian embassy, said ITA`s members were expected to gain greater success in the future.

Referring to the two countries` bilateral trade, statistics indicated that in 2017, it was recorded at US$17.2 billion and made Malaysia the third-largest trading partner among ASEAN member countries after Singapore and Thailand.

In the same year, Malaysia`s total investment value in Indonesia had reached $1.2 billion.

According to Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, Malaysia is the closest neighboring country of Indonesia. "We have several similarities in our culture and history as well as interests and future," she said in a press release.

The occasion was also enlivened by an art and cultural performance and the offer of prizes, including free return tickets of the Kuala Lumpur-Jakarta routes by Garuda Indonesia.



Reporting by Agus Setiawan

(T.R013/A/o001)



(T.R013/A/R013/A/O001) 21-09-2018 06:32:23

Reporter: Antara
Editor: Andi Abdussalam
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