Kuala Lumpur - Indonesia and Malaysia have agreed to enhance their cooperation through the formation of an eminent persons group (EPG) tasked with forging cooperation in all fields, including handling issues related to migrant workers, illegal logging, culture and border areas.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi officially introduced seven EPG members from each other‘s countries in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.
The seven EPG members from Indonesia are Gen (ret) Try Sutrisno, former vice president, Ali Alatas, former foreign minister, Quraisy Shihab, former religious affairs minister, Des Alwi, former foreign ministry official, Musni Umar, lecturer at the University of Indonesia (UI) and chairman of the Institute for Social Empowerment and Democracy (Insed), Maria Purenti Sri Suniarti, lecturer at UI and chief of the Pudentia Verbal Tradition Association, and Wahyuni Bahar, deputy chief of the Permanent Committee on International Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Trade of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin).
Meanwhile, the Malaysian side is represented by Musa Hitam, Mohammad Zaidi Zainuddin, Khuu Kay Kim, Halim Ali, Amar Dr Haji Hamid Bugur, Joseph Pailin Kitingan and Syed Ali Taufik Alatas.
In his address to the EPG‘s inauguration, President Yudhoyono said problems had often arisen from bilateral relations and that the two countries must be committed to resolving the problems.
He expressed hope that EPG members would soon hold a coordination meeting to inventorize all problems arising from the relations between the two countries.
"Through mutually beneficial approaches, the two sides could resolve the problems arising from their bilateral ties," he said.
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi meanwhile said Indonesia and Malaysia had long established diplomatic ties since 1967 and the two countries were determined to enhance the existing good relations.
"We will continue to enhance the good relations which benefit the two sides," he said.
President Yudhoyono is here for a two-day visit among others to attend a D-8 (group of eight developing countries) summit.
From Malaysia, he will fly to Japan on Tuesday for the summit of eight industrialized nations (G-8).
Source: http://www.antara.co.id (July 08, 2008)