Malaysia tourism acknowledges strong ties between Malaysia and Indonesia

Muar, Johor, Malaysia (ANTARA) - Senior Director of Advertising and Digital at Malaysia Tourism, Akbal Setia emphasised that the friendship between Malaysia and Indonesia holds immense value and has been longstanding.

The statement was made by Akbal Setia, who also serves as the head of the Visit Malaysia 2026 secretariat, during a Familiarisation Trip in Muar, Johor on Thursday. The event brought together representatives from international and local media, as well as travel agents from Singapore.

‘As neighbours, there may occasionally be minor issues, but we can feel that the friendship between Malaysia and Indonesia is strong,’ Akbal told ANTARA in Muar, Johor.

He highlighted that the closeness of the two nations is evident in the many communities in Malaysia with Indonesian cultural roots, including in Muar, Johor.

According to information obtained, Kampung Sarang Buaya in Muar, a key destination in Malaysia’s Familiarisation Trip, is populated by many Malaysians of Javanese and Buginese descent.

Akbal stated that this reflects the longstanding social and cultural ties between the two countries’ populations.

‘Culture, lifestyle, food — they still practice Javanese activities and have been assimilated into a community that is similar to Javanese but with some differences,’ he said.

He also noted that Indonesian tourists rank among the top five foreign visitor groups in Malaysia.

Through the Familiarisation Trip in Muar, Johor, Malaysia Tourism aims to strengthen its position as a premier cultural tourism destination. The event involved seven Singaporean travel agents and five international and local media representatives as part of the ongoing promotion for Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026).