PUTRAJAYA • Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad will make a two-day official visit to Indonesia today, his second overseas trip since taking office again seven weeks ago.

The visit to Indonesia will be Tun Dr Mahathir's first to a South-east Asian country following his surprise victory in the General Election on May 9.

A statement from Malaysia's Foreign Ministry yesterday said Dr Mahathir will be accompanied by his wife, Tun Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, and several government officials.

Dr Mahathir is scheduled to meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo, and attend a luncheon hosted by the latter tomorrow.

"The visit will provide a platform for the two leaders to further strengthen the bilateral relations and cooperation of both countries. It will also allow Malaysia to highlight the government's latest policies and its stand, particularly on issues of mutual benefit," the statement added.

Indonesia and Malaysia share close ties and are important neighbours. Indonesia is Malaysia's seventh-largest trading partner globally, and third-largest trading partner among the Asean member countries after Singapore and Thailand.

Dr Mahathir's trip comes after his visit to Japan earlier this month, when he attended a conference and met his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.

BERNAMA, THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK