KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 ― Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will be flying to Jakarta, Indonesia tomorrow for a short official visit, with the intention of discussing several "important matters” including plans for a future Malaysia-Indonesia travel bubble and to learn from the neighbouring nation on Covid-19 vaccination.

In a statement today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said this will be Muhyiddin’s first official visit as prime minister since he assumed the office in March 2020.

When explaining why Muhyiddin would be making the brief official visit from February 4 to February 5 to Indonesia, Wisma Putra noted that Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo had extended a special invitation to Muhyiddin to make an official visit to Indonesia following the latter’s appointment as prime minister.

Wisma Putra said Malaysia had accepted Indonesia’s invitation in the "spirit of close friendship and decades of established strong bilateral relations”.

"There are several matters involving the interests of both countries which require further discussion and mutual understanding including important issues such as economic cooperation, regional and bilateral security as well as joint efforts in combating the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Thus, leaders of both countries have agreed to have a face-to-face meeting,” it added.

"Indonesia has always been the first destination for an official visit by the Malaysian Prime Minister after assuming office, which is also the established norm that is practised by the President of Indonesia,” it also said.

Wisma Putra said government leaders of the two countries are expected to discuss efforts to address common challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and a few important matters. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Malaysia-Indonesia travel bubble plans and more

As for the significance of Muhyiddin’s official visit for both Malaysia and Indonesia, Wisma Putra said government leaders of the two countries are expected to discuss efforts to address common challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and a few important matters.

These include joint efforts by the two countries as the world’s largest palm oil exporters to fight international discrimination against palm oil produced by Indonesia and Malaysia, with the continuity of the palm oil sector critical for both economies and expected to be to the benefit of over 600,000 palm oil smallholders in Malaysia.

Also on the list to be discussed is the strengthening of cooperation in environmental protection especially in addressing the issue of transboundary haze, and to increase joint efforts in trade and investment including the potential for Malaysian businesses to be involved in Indonesia’s plan to relocate its capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan and with such potential Malaysian involvement expected to help regional economic recovery efforts especially after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The two countries are also expected to "intensify negotiations” on a travel bubble or Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) scheme for official and business travel between both countries.

"It is important to highlight that this negotiation will deliberate on SOP that can be agreed upon by both countries. The RGL scheme will not be implemented immediately.

"The decision to implement the RGL depends on the Covid-19 status in both countries at the time and also subject to the approval of the relevant health authorities of both countries,” Wisma Putra said.

The fifth item on the list is for Malaysia to "acquire best practices in the use of Covid-19 vaccines, especially since Indonesia has begun its vaccination rollout programme on its citizens”, with the knowledge-sharing initiative to benefit Malaysia as it starts its own Covid-19 vaccination programme in the near future.

According to Wisma Putra, Muhyiddin and Widodo will meet on Friday morning before performing Friday prayers together that afternoon at a mosque in the Istana Merdeka complex, before going to an official luncheon hosted by Widodo. ― Reuters pic

Visit within 24 hours and other SOPs

Wisma Putra said Muhyiddin’s official visit to Indonesia will be brief, with Indonesia making arrangements to accommodate this request to keep the visit short.

"Given the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic in Malaysia and Indonesia, YAB Prime Minister has instructed for the duration of the official visit to be less than 24 hours,” it said in the same statement.

The arrangements made include Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo personally instructing for the visit’s official venue to be at Istana Merdeka in Jakarta instead of Istana Bogor in Bogor, West Java, and the shortening of programmes for the official visit.

Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and a small delegation of senior officers from his ministry will hold a discussion with Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi before the start of Muhyiddin’s official visit.

According to Wisma Putra, Muhyiddin and Widodo will meet on Friday morning before performing Friday prayers together that afternoon at a mosque in the Istana Merdeka complex, before going to an official luncheon hosted by Widodo.

"After the luncheon, YAB Prime Minister and the Malaysian delegation will return to Malaysia and undergo mandatory quarantine as prescribed by the Malaysian Ministry of Health (MoH),” Wisma Putra said, before listing a detailed list of standard operating procedures to be followed for the official visit.

To minimise the risks of Covid-19, Wisma Putra said Muhyiddin will be accompanied to Indonesia by a "small delegation” comprising Hishammuddin and a "small group of senior government officials”.

In the set of strict standard operating procedures to prevent Covid-19 as agreed by the National Security Council and both countries’ Health Ministry, the Malaysian delegation "will be flying with a special aircraft instead of commercial arrangements in order to create a travel bubble to Indonesia”.

Under the SOP, the Malaysian delegation must take a swab test before flying to Indonesia with only those who tested negative within 48 hours allowed to join the official visit, and are further required to undergo Covid-19 testing again upon arriving at the airport in Jakarta.

Only those who tested negative as verified by Indonesian authorities will be taken directly to their accommodation, with the Malaysian delegation to be limited to only their accommodation and designated areas of the official visit and will not be allowed to move anywhere on their own except to the designated areas of the official visit.

The Malaysian delegation is required to wear face masks at all times at areas designated as venues for the official visit, with Wisma Putra also stating: "There will be no physical contact ― handshakes, hugs or touching, throughout the duration of the official visit.”

"The Indonesian government has given their assurance that the official visit will be held under very strict Covid-19 preventative SOP.

"The Malaysian delegation is required to undergo mandatory quarantine as soon as they return to Malaysia as prescribed by MoH,” Wisma Putra said.