M'SIA-INDONESIA CONSULTATION WILL CONTINUE

BY MOHD NASIR YUSOFF

JAKARTA, March 16 (Bernama) -- The consultation sessions between the top
leaders of Malaysia and Indonesia will continue even after the leadership
transition in Malaysia, said Malaysia's Foreign Minister Rais Yatim.

He said that although the annual consultation would be the last for Prime
Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the tradition would be continued by
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak when the latter took over the
leadership of the country.

"This will be our Prime Minister's last consultation session with
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono," he told Malaysian journalists on
arrival here Monday night.

The annual consultation session which will begin Tuesday, he said, was
important and significant because Malaysia would be seeing a leadership
transition while the republic would be having its presidential election soon.

"In ensuring continuity of the tradition, the subjects of discussion will be
conveyed to Najib, he said

He said among the issues that would be discussed are bilateral ties,
education and those pertaining to Indonesian workers, who form the bulk of
foreign workers in Malaysia.

Besides this, he said issues relating to logging at border areas and borders
might also be discussed.

-- BERNAMA