Maliki visits vegetable farm and polytechnic during three-day trip to Riau Islands
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SINGAPORE - A visit to Batamindo Green Farm in Batam offered insights into how leafy vegetables are grown, harvested and packaged for export to Singapore, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Maliki Osman.
In a Facebook post on Friday, Dr Maliki, who is also Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, said he was glad to know that Singapore now has another good source of fresh vegetables nearby.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Saturday that Dr Maliki was on the last day of a three-day visit to the Riau Islands.
On the first day, he attended a National Day reception organised by the Singapore Consulate-General in Batam, where he played the guzheng in a duet with his wife Sadiah Shahal on the piano, to raise funds for Red Cross Batam.
On the same day, he met Batam Mayor Muhammad Rudi and his wife Marlin Agustina, who is vice-governor of the Riau Islands.
Dr Maliki said: “We reaffirmed the strong ties between Singapore and Batam, and discussed how to further deepen engagement on both sides.”
Dr Maliki, who is also Second Minister for Education, visited Batam State Polytechnic, where he viewed exhibitions showcasing student projects, including a humanoid football-kicking robot.
In the afternoon, he met young business leaders, who shared insights on the business climate and how Singapore could cooperate further with Batam for mutually beneficial results.
MFA said the engagements allowed both sides to take stock of the strong relationship enjoyed by Singapore and the Riau Islands, with a focus on the agri-food industry and digital economy sector.
The next day, Dr Maliki met Riau Islands Governor Ansar Ahmad and his wife for breakfast, before going on a tour of Pulau Penyengat, where he later attended Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque of the Sultan of Riau.
Dr Maliki was expected to return to Singapore on Saturday.
