JAKARTA: Malaysia’s Ambassador to Indonesia Datuk Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin urged Malaysians to appreciate the sacrifices of the nation’s freedom fighters during a flag hoisting ceremony at the embassy complex.
He emphasised that celebrating independence requires remembering the struggles that secured the nation’s freedom.
“The baton has been passed to us to continue working towards a Malaysia that is peaceful, prosperous, and stable,” he told approximately 300 guests including diplomats, officials, and students.
Syed Mohamad Hasrin expressed confidence that Malaysia-Indonesia relations would continue flourishing under President Prabowo Subianto and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He highlighted significant bilateral growth across multiple sectors throughout 2024.
Bilateral trade reached US$25 billion last year, making Indonesia Malaysia’s sixth largest global trading partner and second largest within ASEAN.
Malaysia became Indonesia’s fourth largest foreign investor with US$4.2 billion in investments, up from US$4.1 billion in 2023.
Tourist exchanges remained strong with 4.14 million Indonesian visitors to Malaysia and 2.27 million Malaysians travelling to Indonesia.
Educational exchanges involved 11,000 Indonesian students in Malaysia and over 1,100 Malaysian students studying in Indonesia.
The ceremony featured the hoisting of the Jalur Gemilang accompanied by patriotic music from the Royal Malaysian Police Brass Band.
Performances included a patriotic poem recital by children from Kelas Bimbingan Malaysia and choral speaking by students from Senior High School 28 West Jakarta.
The event concluded with a group photo session and a feast for all attendees. – Bernama