Malaysia Plays It Smart In Indonesia; Appoints Indon VP's Brother Honorary Consul

Malaysia has appointed Halim Kalla, younger brother of Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla, as its honorary consul for its new consulate in the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, local press said Thursday.

Halim, a local businessman, said Malaysia and South Sulawesi could cooperate in many sectors, pointing to the high number of people traveling back and forth from Malaysia to South Sulawesi for business and pleasure.

"Malaysia has become a destination for Bugis-Makassarese people to work and do business. With the consulate, we hope we can solve the pending issues," he was quoted by English daily the Jakarta Post as saying.

The new consulate was inaugurated earlier this week by Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak, who expressed hope the consulate would help improve cooperation between the countries in several sectors, including the economy, education, tourism and labor.

"I hope that this consulate can enhance existing bilateral relations, especially cooperation between Malaysia and South Sulawesi, which date back to the 18th century," Najib said. He also hoped the consulate could solve several outstanding issues between the countries, including illegal migrant workers. The consulate will let people who want to work in Malaysia know about Malaysian labor laws and regulations," Najib said.

To accommodate growing bilateral relations, two Malaysian airlines would open direct flights from Malaysia to Makassar as early as next year, he said. (Source: Xinhua)
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