SINGAPORE - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin made a courtesy call or honorary visit to Singapore President Halimah Yacob at the Presidential Palace in Singapore today.
In this meeting which took place from 15.00 to 16.00 local time, Vice President Ma'ruf conveyed his warm greetings from President Joko Widodo to the President of Singapore and congratulations for the 2023 New Year.
"We pray that 2023 will be a better year for all of us. I also hope that this year our bilateral relationship will be stronger," said Vice President Ma'ruf quoting a press release received in Jakarta, Antara, Monday, January 16.
The vice president said that the progress of bilateral relations between the two countries in detail will be discussed by President Joko Widodo and the Prime Minister of Singapore in the near future, to be precise at the annual retreat meeting.
However, in a meeting with the 8th President of the Republic of Singapore since 2017, the Vice President conveyed several important points.
First, the Vice President expressed his appreciation for the completion of the three important agreements between Indonesia and Singapore.
"I am happy that we have been able to complete three important agreements, namely the Flight Information Region or FIR, Defense Cooperation Agreement and Extradition Treaty. The three agreements further strengthen cooperation between the two countries," he said.
Second, Ma'ruf also expressed his hope that bilateral relations between the two countries could be expanded to the field of Islamic economy.
The Vice President explained that currently, Indonesia continues to strive to become the center of world halal producers with several steps having been taken, including building Halal Industrial Estates in three strategic areas in Bintan, Serang, and Sidoarjo.
Ma'ruf also invited the Singapore government to become an investment partner in the region.
"I hope Singapore can become an investment partner for the halal industry and encourage the settlement of an agreement on guarantees for halal products between BPJPH and the Singapore Islamic Ulema Council (MUIS)," said the Vice President.
Third, explained the Vice President, cooperation in education and socio-cultural is also Indonesia's top priority in building superior human resources. The Vice President also supports concrete steps taken in implementing the cooperation agreement.
"Encourage the implementation of these various bilateral agreements through youth internship programs and vocational education programs of the two countries as well as the establishment of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms," explained the Vice President.
Fourth, the Vice President explained about Indonesia's candidacy for the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and asked Singapore for support in this nomination.
On the other hand, Vice President Ma'ruf also conveyed about the outline of Indonesia's program in ASEAN Chairship in 2023.
"Since 2018, Indonesia has been an observer at the FATF and has made a lot of progress regarding antimoney launching regimes. I hope Singapore's support at the FATF meeting in Paris in February 2023. I am sure of Singapore's support for Indonesia," he said.
Previously, the Vice President and Wury Ma'ruf Amin arrived at Changi Singapore International Airport on Sunday (15/1) on the Presidential Aircraft RJ BAe-85.
Accompanying the Vice President at the meeting were the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Singapore Suryo Pratomo, the Head of the Secretariat of Vice President Ahmad Erani Yustika, the Director of Southeast Asia of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mirza Nurhidayat, and the Special Staff of the Vice President Masduki Baidlowi.
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