JAKARTA, Oct 20 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has arrived in Jakarta, for a working visit to attend the inauguration of the President and Vice-President of Indonesia for the 2019-2024 term.
The special aircraft carrying the prime minister and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali arrived at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in Jakarta at 10.51am West Indonesia time (11.15am Malaysian time).
The prime minister and wife were received by Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, Indonesian Minister of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, Eko Putro Sandjojo as well as the Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia, Datuk Zainal Abidin Bakar.
President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) took his appointment oath at the Indonesian Parliamentary building at 2pm after winning the 2019 presidential election on April 17.
His first term (2014-2019) as president ended yesterday.
Jokowi, 57, who is aided by the new Vice-President, Ma’aruf Amin, 76, defeated the Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno team.
Zainal Abidin said Dr Mahathir’s presence is a manifestation of the close relations between the two leaders and countries and the appointment of Jokowi for the second term would be heralding a new chapter and further strengthen relations between the two countries.
Apart from Dr Mahathir, 17 top leaders will also be attending among them were Brunei Darussalam’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzadin Waddaulah, Singapore Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison and the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Sen. — Bernama
