Malaysian Deputy PM Zahid to Visit Indonesia: What's on the Agenda? - Tempo.co English
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is scheduled to visit Indonesia this week to meet with Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka, according to the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta.
According to Farzamie Sarkawi, Charge d'Affaires ad Interim of the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta, the Malaysian Deputy PM's visit, scheduled for Thursday, September 17, will begin with a bilateral meeting with VP Gibran.
"The Deputy PM and Vice President Gibran will discuss bilateral cooperation, current developments, and joint targets for the upcoming annual bilateral consultation," said Farzamie when met after the Malaysia Day celebrations in Jakarta late Tuesday.
Besides meeting his Indonesian counterpart, Deputy PM Zahid will focus his visit on halal cooperation. "He will attend the international halal forum in Cibubur, and this will be the focus of his visit," he added.
According to him, Zahid's presence at the forum was a follow-up to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) regarding halal cooperation signed between Indonesia and Malaysia.
The Malaysian diplomat also emphasized the need for both countries to bolster coordination to ensure halal commitments are translated into concrete actions.
Meanwhile, when asked by ANTARA about the possibility of Deputy PM Zahid meeting President Prabowo Subianto, Farzamie said his side awaits confirmation from Indonesia.
Malaysian Deputy PM Ahmad Zahid Hamidi last visited Indonesia on April 20-22, 2025, where he met with President Prabowo and VP Gibran on separate occasions.
President Prabowo, when receiving Zahid at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, even referred to the Malaysian Deputy PM as an "old friend" from his youth.
During the visit, the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister also held a meeting with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and, together with ASEAN Secretary General Kao Kim Hourn, launched the ASEAN Unity Drive (AUD) 2025 initiative at the Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta.
