THIS year we are celebrating our 48th National Day. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi, Malaysia continues to undergo development as envisioned by the previous leadership for it to become a developed country in its own mould in the year 2020.
At the various international and multilateral fora, Malaysia is concerned with the numerous pressing questions of peace and stability, poverty and hunger, environmental and conservation issues as well as other common issues of interests to mankind.
On bilateral relations, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia are bound by strong ties. The relationship between the two countries gained the highest momentum in recent years. Malaysia has always viewed its links with Saudi Arabia as the cornerstone of its relations with the Muslim world. Both nations have a lot in common and these could be synergized into a new partnership in all fields which would be mutually beneficial.
The bilateral cooperation was strengthened when both countries set up a cooperation mechanism through the Joint Commission Meeting (JCM). The third JCM was held in Riyadh on June 25-26, 2004 and both sides determined a vast scope of cooperation in trade and industry, finance, investment, agriculture, higher education, health care, petroleum and minerals, science and technology, culture, tourism, information dissemination and youth and sports. The fourth JCM will be held in Kuala Lumpur in 2006.
The bilateral trade has also tremendously increased, touching SR5.5 billion last year. I am proud to say that the number of tourists from the Kingdom visiting Malaysia has also been increasing during the last few years.
The number of tourists from the Kingdom visiting Malaysia is the biggest from the region. In 2004, the number of tourists from the Kingdom crossed 40,000. Most of them were with their respective families to spend the summer from June to September. There is also a trend that students from the Kingdom are starting to pursue higher education in Malaysia, which offers excellent facilities and conducive environment to education especially in information technology (IT) and engineering.
On this occasion, let me take the opportunity to convey our best wishes to all Malaysian nationals in the Kingdom. I believe indeed that there’s a vast potential for Malaysia and the Kingdom to be partners in promoting the interest and welfare of both Malaysian and Saudi nationals.
Once again, all praises be to Allah, the most merciful and the most compassionate and allow me to convey the most cordial and warmest congratulations from the government and people of Malaysia on the occasion of the celebration of their National Day. May Allah bless us all.