DILI, 16 september 2022 (TATOLI) – The President of the Republic, José Ramos Horta, said he planned to visit Malaysia to strengthen bilateral ties with the third largest country in the Southeast Asia region.
“I am looking forward to strengthening Timor-Leste’s bilateral ties with Malaysia. I will probably visit Malaysia after their general elections,” Horta made the comments after attending the 65th National Day and Malaysia Day celebration, organized by the Malaysian Embassy at the Novo Turismo Hotel in Dili on thursday night.
Horta said he had spoken to Malaysian authorities regarding his State visit: “We do not yet know the exact date of the next Malaysian general elections. But I have already informed them that I will visit Malaysia after their general elections.”
In his remarks at the celebration, Horta congratulated Malaysia on its National Day and Independence Day.
Horta expressed his deep appreciation for Malaysian support and assistance over the past 20 years.
“I hope that next year Timor-Leste will join ASEAN. So, your blessings and supports in helping human resource development are highly significant for Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN,” Horta said.
Over the past 20 years, Malaysia and Timor-Leste have maintained a good relationship.
Horta said that Malaysia was the first country to support the weapon Timorese Defense Force (F-FDTL) soon after the restoration of independence in 2002: “Malaysia was also the first country to provide financial support to our Armed Forces in the early 2000s.”
In 2003, Malaysia sent a unit of 125 police to Timor-Leste under UNMISET. Following the political crisis in 2006, Malaysia sent over 200 soldiers to Timor-Leste to support the Joint Task Force to restore peace in the country.
Chargé d’Affaires of the Malaysian Embassy in Dili, Nadia Azura Mohd Nudri, said that Malaysia has been supporting Timor-Leste in the areas of security, human resources development, and institutional capacity building.
“Malaysia is the first country to establish a liaison office in Dili in 2001, before the restoration of independence. Malaysia is also the first country to establish its embassy in Dili on the eve of the Independence Day celebration on May 20, 2002. In exchange, Timor-Leste established its embassy in Kuala Lumpur the same year, (7 August 2002),” Nudri said.
She said Malaysia is one of the main contributors to Timor-Leste’s nation-building process through the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Program and the Malaysian Defense Partnership Program.
“We will continue to support Timor-Leste in its accession to ASEAN,” Nudri said.
She said Malaysia and Timor-Leste need to cooperate in the tourism sector: “I look forward to strengthening our bilateral relationship in the future, especially in tourism.
“The people of Timor-Leste are very friendly. We can work together for the common good,” she concluded.
More than 100 Malaysian nationals are currently residing and working in Timor-Leste.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
