Noy off to Malaysia for 2-day visit

KUALA LUMPUR, Philippines – President Aquino leaves before noon today for a two-day state visit here, where he will meet the king of Malaysia, The Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, and Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Philippine embassy officials led by Ambassador Edgardo Malaya, defense attaché Colonel Delfin Bacon and police attaché Senior Superintendent Charlo Collado, along with Malaysian government officials, will meet the President upon his arrival at the airport here.

A meeting with members of the Filipino community in this Malaysian capital at the Sapphire Room of Mandarin Oriental Hotel tonight is the President’s first official engagement.

Tomorrow morning, he will meet the Malaysian king and prime minister at Parliament House.

Another meeting with Najib is set at the prime minister’s office in Putrajaya, to be followed by an expanded bilateral meeting before noon.

The signing of agreements and the issuance of a joint press statement will follow the meeting.

Later tomorrow afternoon, Aquino will meet members of the Malaysian business community at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

Among them are Datuk Abdul Farid Alias, president and chief executive officer of Maybank Berhad; Tony Fernandes, CEO of Air Asia Berhad; and Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay, chairman and CEO of Genting Berhad.

David Chua, director, chairman and CEO of Genting Hong Kong Ltd., and Andrew Tan, chairman and CEO of Alliance Global Group Inc. will also attend the meeting.

The Malaysian king will then host a banquet for Aquino at Istana Negara.

Mindanao investments

Malaya said at least 13 Malaysian firms recently expressed interest to invest in Mindanao, noting that the signing of the last three annexes on Bangsamoro Framework Agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was a positive development.

He said these foreign investors had visited Cotabato to look for possible investment opportunities in the region.

He said companies involved in palm oil plantation, rubber manufacturing, halal food, infrastructure development and manufacturing were first to show interest in putting up their businesses in Mindanao.

“This is because our peace efforts are now bearing fruit, and that is why we have to fix our economic support program in that area. As what PM Najib said: We need to transform the freedom fighters into productive farmers,” Malaya said.

“We need to put up the necessary infrastructure so that the economic development that the people there have deserved for a long time should be given to them,” he added.

Cooperation agreements

The signing of the cooperation agreement on cultural exchange and education is another highlight of the President’s visit here, Malaya said. – Aurea Calica