If you come (to Malaysia) sooner, we could resolve (our negotiations) sooner
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has been invited by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to visit Malaysia to bolster negotiations on various aspects of bilateral cooperation.

"If you come (to Malaysia) sooner, we could resolve (our negotiations) sooner," Anwar told his Indonesian counterpart at the joint press conference at the Bogor Palace, West Java, as observed from the Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel on Monday.

The prime minister said he had been briefed that ongoing negotiations pertaining to memoranda of understanding (MoU) on bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Malaysia are not complicated, so assuring it could be finalized soon.

"However, it will need a clear determination, and, God Willing, I will bring up this issue with my ministers, provided that you visit Malaysia soon," he said.

Anwar said he took the right decision to make Indonesia his first foreign visit destination since his inauguration as Malaysian prime minister on November 24.

While presenting his remarks earlier, President Jokowi stated that during bilateral talks with Anwar, they had agreed to various MoUs on land border.

"We have discussed and agreed that the MoU on the land border in the Sebatik and Sinapad-Sesai sections could be signed this year," he noted.

Jokowi remarked that an agreement on maritime affairs in the Sulawesi Sea and the southern section of Malacca Strait would be finalized in 2023.

The Malaysian prime minister arrived at the Bogor Palace at 10 a.m. local time (UTC +7). Upon his arrival, President Jokowi invited Anwar to visit the Bogor Botanical Garden.

The two leaders also witnessed the signing of a letter of intent (LoI) of Malaysian entrepreneurs to invest in the development of new capital Nusantara. The LoI was handed over by Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz to Nusantara Capital Authority Head Bambang Susantono.

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Translator: Gilang Galiartha, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
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