Jokowi Kicks Off Presidential Trips to Neighboring Countries
5 February 2015 16:38 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo kicked off his presidential trips to three neighboring countries today: Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and the Philippines. The president left the country on the presidential jet at 1:05 p.m.
First Lady Iriana Widodo and several ministers—Coordinating Minister for the Economy Sofyan Djalil, Trade Minister Rachmat Gobel, and Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri—are accompanying the president during the trips. Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, meanwhile, had already left for Malaysia.
Sofyan Djalil said scheduled bilateral talks would center on issues on economy and manpower. “We will discuss economic issues as one of ASEAN’s strengths,” he said at Halim Perdanakusuma Airbase on Thursday, February 5, 2015.
During his visits, the president is slated to engage in bilateral talks with leaders of ASEAN member nations. In Malaysia, the president will meet with Premier Najib Razak and the King of Malaysia; in Brunei, with Singaporean Premier Lee Hsien Loong and with Sultan Hasanal Bolkiah.
The president is scheduled to arrive in Indonesia in the early hours of Tuesday, February 10, 2015. Besides the bilateral talks, Jokowi will also visit an automotive factory in Malaysia.
ANANDA TERESIA