Megawati returns home from trip abroad

Megawati returns home from trip abroad

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri returned
home on Tuesday night after a 12-day trip abroad.

She arrived on a chartered Garuda Indonesia airplane and was
met at Halim Perdanakusumah Airport by, among others,
Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, chief of the State Intelligence
Coordinating Board Lt. Gen. (ret.) Arie J. Kumaat, Indonesian
Military Chief Adm. Widodo AS, National Police Chief Gen. Surojo
Bimantoro and Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso.

She left the Malaysian capital Tuesday afternoon, describing
her stay there as a success.

Malaysian foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar in Kuala Lumpur
said Megawati told him that relations had been further
strengthened through her visit, AFP reported.

Although there were a few pending issues between the two
neighbors, he said, Megawati was convinced solutions could be
found.

During her three-day stay there she also met Deputy Premier
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and called on the king.

Syed Hamid, quoted by Bernama news agency, said Megawati
"stated that she was very happy with her visit not only in terms
of discussions but also the warmth of ties between her and the
deputy prime minister."

Illegal immigration was a major topic of the talks.

During Monday's discussions, Megawati pledged to take steps to
help stem the flood of illegal Indonesian immigrants seeking jobs
in Malaysia.

"They (Indonesia) agreed to cooperate with Malaysia in every
way to curb illegal immigrants coming to Malaysia," Syed Hamid
told a press conference after the talks.

He said Malaysia has "a few hundred thousand" illegal
immigrants, most of them Indonesians. "To us this is a serious
figure."

The immigration department last month said it has set itself
the target of repatriating 100,000 people next year to make the
country free of illegal immigrants.

A total of 97,147 illegal immigrants were deported last year,
of whom 83,190 were Indonesians. There are about 700,000 legal
foreign workers in the country.

Megawati, however, also asked Malaysia to employ more
Indonesian workers.

"We said we will take in foreign workers based on our needs.

"We said the question of illegals must be tackled. I think she
understood the situation very well. They agreed that there must
be a proper structure (for the entry of workers)."

Syed Hamid said Indonesia also asked Malaysia to increase
trade and investment.

In the 10 months to October last year, two-way trade was worth
12 billion ringgit (US$3.15 billion), with the balance in
Indonesia's favor.

The Malaysian minister said Kuala Lumpur welcomed the
suggestion but stressed that "Indonesia must be able to create
business confidence" as investment would depend on confidence in
political stability.

"Malaysia will continue to hold to its policy that the best
way to (promote) changes is economic development. The best way of
ensuring regional security is by prospering thy neighbor," he
said.