JAKARTA, Aug 3 — Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who won a second term as the country’s leader during the recent general elections, is scheduled to make an official visit to Malaysia on August 8.

Indonesian Ambassador to Malaysia, Rusdi Kirana, said the Indonesian president, popularly known as Jokowi, will use the visit to strengthen ties between the two countries.

According to him, Jokowi enjoys a close relationship with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and is a staunch admirer of the 94-year-old prime minister’s leadership and experience.

Rusdi said that when Dr Mahathir emerged as the new leader of the country on May 10 last year, Jokowi aspired to be the first foreign head of state to congratulate him.

And during the Malaysian leader’s official visit to Indonesia in June last year, it was Jokowi who greeted him at the airport, he said.

Rusdi, who was in Jakarta to meet with a delegation from journalists network ‘Ikatan Setiakawan Wartawan Malaysia-Indonesia’ yesterday, said he believed the Indonesian president would focus on strengthening cooperation between the two countries, for their mutual interests and prosperity.

While the schedule for the president’s visit to Malaysia has not yet been released by the Indonesian embassy in Malaysia, Rusdi said based on information received, the itinerary will include a joint visit by Jokowi and Dr Mahathir to Singapore on the invitation of Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to discuss issues of common interest.

Asked about Indonesia’s vision to become a developed nation and the fifth largest economy in the world, he said Indonesia and Malaysia would need to work together, adding that more impetus needed to be given to proposals on collaborative projects such as car manufacturing and protecting the interests of the palm oil industry and diversifying its products. — Bernama