Excellent Sudan-Malaysia Ties Despite North-south Separation

By R. Ravichandran

KUALA LUMPUR, May 9 (Bernama) -- Despite Southern Sudan seceding from the North, its relations with Malaysia continue to be excellent, both at the economic and political level, as well as people-to-people relations.

Little wonder why Sudan's Ambassador to Malaysia Nadir Yousif Eltayeb describes the Khartoum-Kuala Lumpur relations as a "strategic relationship".

He expressed satisfaction with the political and economic ties which bind the two countries.

"Our relations continue to be strategic and good even after the separation of South...strategic because we have very close relations in the last 20 years," he told reporters when asked about the current bilateral relations after the North and South separation.

Earlier, Nadir called on Senate president Tan Sri Abu Zahar Ujang at the latter's office in the Parliament building here today.

More than 98 per cent of Southern Sudanese voted to secede from the North, in a referendum held from Jan 9 to 15. The split will make Southern Sudan as the world's newest country on July 9.

South Sudan has been chosen as the name, but this will require approval by the Southern Sudan parliament.

On the political level, Nadir said, the leadership of the two countries engaged in close contact.

He said the countries also enjoyed good coordination on various issues at international fora, such as the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), where they were members.

Nadir said that on the economic level, despite the separation, Malaysian national oil company Petronas, which had been operating successfully in the African country for the last 15 years, continued to involve in the oil and gas sector.

He said Petronas was involved in new discoveries in about three states in the North.

On the people-to-people relationship, Nadir said Sudan's community in Malaysia now numbered more than 3,000, mostly students, and the numbers were increasing.

"They chose Malaysia because it is a good hub for education...because of the quality of the education. The hospitality of the people and also the environment which is very good and also relatively cheap," he said.

He said the number of Sudanese tourists visiting Malaysia was also on the rise, with some 11,000 visiting in 2009.

Nadir also said that Sudanese participating under the Malaysia, My Second Home program was also on the increase.

"All these reflect Malaysia's very special relations with Sudan, in terms of people-to-people, as well as government-to-government relations," he said.

Nadir also said that Khartoum had welcomed and recognized the referendum results, and would cooperate with the government of the South in the interest of the peoples of both sides.

"We will help the South...the new state. We will be very close to them because we believe that we want to make sure that peace and stability prevail for the benefit of the peoples of the North and South," he said

Meanwhile, Abu Zahar said that both of them had friendly discussions on general issues, adding that Sudan and Malaysia enjoyed a good bilateral relationship.

He said, being representative of the Malaysian Government, he looked forward to further enhancement of the relationship between Malaysia and Sudan in all aspects.

He noted it was also important for Sudanese students intending to pursue their studies here to check the education institutions with the relevant agencies here, as well as with the embassy.

-- BERNAMA

Source: Bernama.
Link: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=585047.