The Timor-Leste government has granted Malaysia 0.6 hectares of land as a symbolic gesture to strengthen bilateral relations.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development, Dato Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, revealed plans to utilise the land for the construction of the Malaysian Embassy and other initiatives aimed at benefitting Malaysians residing in Timor-Leste.
Zahid met with the President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta, Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, and several other leaders during his official visit to Timor-Leste.
Several meetings and discussions were held, focusing on sectors such as rural development, housing, and the halal industry. They also addressed the empowerment of the growing tourism sector.
Zahid, who also serves as the chairman of the Halal Industry Development Council, highlighted Malaysia’s intent to support the halal industry in Timor-Leste.
He had requested the Halal Development Corporation (HDC) and the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) to assist Timor-Leste in establishing their own certification body. This initiative seeks to develop the halal potential in Timor-Leste while also promoting more robust economic ties.
There were also talks on Timor-Leste’s efforts to become a new member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Furthermore, Zahid suggested that TradeInvest Timor-Leste conduct a trade and investment mission to Malaysia. This would allow them to explore various investment opportunities that could be beneficial for both countries.
As part of Malaysia’s South-to-South Cooperation, the nation aims to share its expertise with Timor-Leste through the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP). So far, Malaysia has provided training and technical assistance to 781 participants from Timor-Leste.
According to Zahid, The Institute for Rural Advancement (INFRA) will arrange for Timor-Leste’s leaders and government officials involved in rural development to visit Malaysia. He believes that the visit will provide them with opportunities to conduct case studies.
The official visit also saw the signing of a Letter of Intent between the University of Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and the Ministry of Higher Education of Timor-Leste. This agreement would lead to the establishment of a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centre in Timor-Leste.
In addition to this, UniKL announced that it will be providing scholarships to 50 students from Timor-Leste for postgraduate studies.
