Maliki explores cooperation in tourism, education during 5-day working visit to Kelantan and Terengganu

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Maliki Osman (centre) meeting Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin (right) on Wednesday. Also at the meeting was Mr Vanu Gopala Menon (left), Singapore's High Commissioner to Malaysia. PHOTO: MALIKI OSMAN/FACEBOOK

SINGAPORE – Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Maliki Osman discussed issues like economic growth and ways in which Singapore could contribute during an audience with Terengganu Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin on Wednesday.

He also talked about areas of cooperation between the Republic and Terengganu, including tourism, agritech and people-to-people exchanges, in meetings with Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar on the same day.

Dr Maliki, who is also Second Minister for Foreign Affairs, was in Terengganu as part of a five-day visit to the north-eastern Malaysian state and neighbouring Kelantan between April 15 and 19.

His visit is part of efforts to strengthen longstanding ties with Malaysian states and explore new areas of cooperation, said Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 15.

In Kelantan, Dr Maliki met Crown Prince Tengku Muhammad Faiz Petra and his wife, whom he hosted in Singapore in 2022.

Dr Maliki spent two days in Kelantan, during which he broke fast with officials, and held meetings with Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Salahuddin Ayub and Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi, among others.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Dr Maliki, who is also Second Minister for Education, said Singapore is keen to step up ties with Kelantan.

He said: “I had very good discussions on potential cooperation in education, including exchanges between our students, investments, human resource and infrastructure development, urban planning, and agriculture.”

In Terengganu, Dr Maliki met officials from a host of political parties, including representatives from Parti Islam SeMalaysia and the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition.

He also visited Universiti Malaysia Terengganu and met several student leaders on the fourth day of his trip.

In a new Facebook post on Wednesday, Dr Maliki said: “It was useful to hear their experiences and hopes for the future. I also encouraged them to engage youths from Singapore, and to continue working hard in their chosen disciplines.”

Speaking to the Singapore media on the same day, he outlined three areas that could further strengthen ties with the two states. They are building up the tourism sector with flight connections, providing expertise on capacity development, and stepping up links between youth from both sides through education, and a student exchange programmme.

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