Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail began her one-day working visit to Indonesia today by calling on Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

During the 30-minute meeting at the Bogor Presidential Palace, Wan Azizah and Jokowi, as the Indonesian president is fondly called, discussed various matters concerning bilateral ties.

Wan Azizah was accompanied by Deputy Foreign Minister Marzuki Yahya and Foreign Ministry deputy secretary-general Raja Nushirwan Zainal Abidin. Also present at the meeting were Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi and State Secretariat Minister Muhadjir Effendy.

Wan Azizah's visit to Indonesia is her first to the neighbouring country since her appointment as deputy prime minister on May 21.

Her packed itinerary includes a courtesy call on Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla and a meeting with Women Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Yohana Susana Yembise.

Wan Azizah is also scheduled to visit the Asean Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) for a briefing on the current coordination work done by the centre to send humanitarian assistance from the Asean member states to the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi.

Later today, the deputy prime minister will also meet with Indonesian captains of industry and the Malaysian diaspora in Jakarta.

Indonesia is one of Malaysia’s closest friends and an important neighbour.

In 2017, total bilateral trade was recorded at RM72.63 billion, an increase of 22 percent in comparison with 2016, making Indonesia Malaysia’s seventh largest trading partner globally and third largest trading partner among the Asean member countries after Singapore and Thailand.

Boost for Malaysian paraathletes

The deputy prime minister also visited Malaysian athletes competing in the Asian Para Games 2018 in Jakarta.

She watched a badminton match at the Istora Senayan Stadium before meeting the athletes there.

Malaysia won its first gold medal of the games today through athlete Siti Noor Lasah in the 400m T20 event.

“I hope we will win more medals,” said Wan Azizah. Also present were Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman and the chef de mission of the Malaysian contingent Lee Seng Chow.

Malaysia has targeted 15 gold medals with its participation in 15 of the 18 sports featured in the games.

The Para Asian Games 2018 was opened by Jokowi on Oct 6 and will go on until Oct 13.

- Bernama