Message by the Charge d'Affaires on Malaysia's National Day
Message by the Charge d'Affaires on Malaysia's National Day
As Malaysia celebrates its 42nd anniversary on 31 August 1999,
I would like to take this opportunity to express satisfaction on
the state of bilateral relations currently enjoyed by Malaysia
and Indonesia. The shared similarities particularly in culture
and language between our two countries have helped reinforce the
bond of friendship and understanding at all levels of both
societies.
When the economic crisis engulfed the East Asian countries in
mid-1997, our two countries were also affected and underwent the
subsequent difficulties. However, we begin to see many positive
signs of economic recovery and I am certain that soon both our
countries will emerge from this experience much stronger and more
resilient to face the challenges of the coming millennium. The
fostering of close cooperation and collaboration bilaterally as
well as at the regional and international level would not only
accelerate the recovery process but also the overall attainment
of economic prosperity and growth.
Relations between Malaysia and Indonesia have over the years
grown from strength to strength. This has been possible by the
regular exchange of visits at the heads of government and
ministerial levels as well as between officials of the two
countries. Cooperation in the fields of education, culture,
religion, tourism, information, human resources development and
haze management have achieved substantial progress that have
mutually benefited the two countries. Economic and trade
relations too continue to increase steadily while ongoing private
sector interaction and collaboration will be further promoted to
enhance global competitiveness of our two countries in
international trade.
Malaysia and Indonesia's bond of close cooperation and
solidarity has also been nurtured through their membership in
ASEAN. Through continuous constructive dialogue and closely
adhering to the principles of non-interference, mutual respect
and equality, the region has achieved remarkable progress. Being
founder members, our two countries have played instrumental roles
in this success and will continue to work together within this
regional framework to promote economic growth and develop
national resilience, for overall peace, prosperity and security
in the region.
Once again, on this auspicious occasion I would like to
express the hope that the warm and close bilateral relations
between Malaysia and Indonesia will continue to be further
consolidated and enhanced.
Embassy of Malaysia
24 August 1999