Mahathir urges Malaysian firms to relocate to RI
Mahathir urges Malaysian firms to relocate to RI
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohammad urged Malaysian
companies that employ Indonesian workers to relocate their
businesses to Indonesia on Monday.
The move would solve long-standing problems related to illegal
migrant workers that put at risk the ties between the two
countries, he said.
Speaking after a meeting with President Susilo Bambang
Yudhoyono here, Mahathir said the investment climate in Indonesia
was improving, so there was no reason why Malaysian firms should
not operate here.
"It would be better for the Malaysian labor-intensive
companies to open their businesses in Indonesia, because most of
their workers are from Indonesia. It could solve the ongoing
problem of illegal migrant workers," Mahathir said.
Indonesia and Malaysia have been negotiating various
agreements to administer hundreds of thousands of Indonesian
migrant workers in Malaysia.
Malaysia has planned the mass deportation of Indonesian
illegal migrants following the enactment of a new immigration act
in 2003. According to the Indonesian government's estimate, there
are around 700,000 Indonesian illegal workers in Malaysia.
Kuala Lumpur has extended the amnesty period for the illegal
migrants to leave Malaysia until Dec. 31 from the original
schedule of Nov. 14, after less than 80,000 Indonesian illegals
responded to the amnesty offer.
During his first meeting with the Indonesian president,
Mahathir also praised the successful direct election in Indonesia
that ensured a peaceful transition of power in the neighboring
country.
"In other countries, such an election could cause riots ...
but in Indonesia it happened in a very peaceful way, although the
country has only implemented democracy in the last couple of
years," Mahathir said.
He continued to say that Indonesia and Malaysia are known as
moderate Muslim countries and there should be further discussions
on cooperation between the two to promote the peaceful face of
Islam.
"We could share thoughts and information to handle the growing
extremism in the Islamic world," Mahathir said.
When asked whether he would meet his old friend, Soeharto,
during his visit here, Mahathir said: "No, this time I will not
meet anybody."
Before talking to the press, one of the former prime
minister's aides announced to Palace reporters that Mahathir
would like to give a press briefing, but would not accept any
questions on his former deputy-turned nemesis Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar, Mahathir's political opponent, concluded on Friday his
five-day visit to Indonesia, where he met Vice President Jusuf
Kalla and other high-ranking state officials.