FUKUOKA, Aug 8 — Japan is taking seriously its role to help Malaysia develop, going by the discussions its key advisor and experts have had with visiting Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
The Malaysian prime minister said the Japanese government viewed his working visit to Fukuoka as an opportunity to discuss this role of Japan.
Dr Mahathir today had a meeting with the special adviser to the Japanese prime minister, Hiroto Izumi, who is also responsible for Malaysian affairs, and the latter was accompanied by nine experts in various disciplines including finance, debt, transport and education.
“It looks like the Japanese government has discussed seriously what it can do to help us and they put forward proposals and asked us for our opinion,” Dr Mahathir told Malaysian journalists after concluding his two-day working visit to Fukuoka today.
He had delivered annual lectures on leadership at the Japan Future Leaders School yesterday and the Kyushu-Asia Institute of Leadership today.
Dr Mahathir said that at their meeting, the experts, for example, gave their views on the land, rail and water transportation policy that Malaysia can draw up to derive maximum benefit.
He said he will raise the matters discussed at the Cabinet meeting for the ministers to take the appropriate action. — Bernama
