M'SIA HOPES FOR IMPROVED TRADE COOPERATION WITH N SUMATRA

Medan, July 7 (ANTARA) - Deputy Chief Minister of Pulau Penang YB Tuan Muhammad Fairus bin Khairuddin believed that trade, tourism and socio-cultural relations between Pulau Pinang and North Sumatra needed to be boosted.

"Enhancing cooperation is quite possible, as the factor of proximity between the two regions including sharing the same ethnic origin especially in culture and race," he said in a meeting with North Sumatra Governor H Syamsul Arifin here on Monday.

To improve the cooperation, he said, further talks on various matters should also involve the private sector.

However cooperation in trade and tourism will be able to help the vision and mission of the North Sumatra governor on poverty eradication to run as expected.

According to Fairus, an urgency in the cooperation was the construction of a slaughter house as Pulau Penang imported around 1000 goats each month through Tanjung Balai port.

"Other cooperation covers the supply of oil palm seedlings to meet demands form Indonesia and Malaysia," he said.

Responding to Pulau Penang's offer, the North Sumatra Governor hoped the cooperation project could be immediately implemented.