PUTRAJAYA, Aug 28 — Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will undertake an official visit to Timor Leste from August 28 to August 30.

Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry, widely known as Wisma Putra, said in a statement on Wednesday (August 28) that the Deputy Prime Minister will be accompanied by senior government officials and representatives from Halal Development Corporation (HDC), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), UniKL and PLANMalaysia.

"The Deputy Prime Minister is scheduled to pay courtesy calls on President Jose Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão.

"He will also be meeting with his counterparts, Vice-Prime Minister I and Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs, Minister of Tourism and Environment Francisco Kalbuadi Lay and Vice-Prime Minister II and Coordinating Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Rural Development and Community Housing Mariano Assanami Sabino,” said the ministry.

According to Wisma Putra, discussions are anticipated to cover several key areas, including the state of Malaysia-Timor-Leste bilateral relations, cooperation in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the halal industry, and rural development and town planning.

The Deputy Prime Minister is also scheduled to witness the exchange of Memorandum of Understanding between University Malaysia Sabah and University National of Timor-Leste on higher education; Memorandum of Understanding between Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) and Human Capital Development Fund Timor-Leste (FDCH) on cooperation in the mobility of Timor Leste Government scholarship recipients to Malaysia, as well as the Letter of Intent between UniKL and Institute of Business Timor Leste on staff development and student mobility programme, it said.

Wisma Putra said Ahmad Zahid will also officiate the Halal Roundtable "Making Halal as a New Source of Economic Growth for Timor Leste” on August 29, organised by HDC.

At the invitation of the Timor-Leste government, the Deputy Prime Minister will attend Timor-Leste’s 25th Anniversary of the Referendum (Popular Consultation Day) at the National Parliament on August 30.

This official visit aims to strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries and show Malaysia’s ongoing support for Timor-Leste’s goal of becoming a full member of Asean. — Bernama