JAKARTA, April 21 - The strategic relationship between Malaysia and Indonesia in the education sector was further solidified with the signing of three Letters of Intent (LoI), witnessed by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today.
Two of the agreements involve cooperation in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) between Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and the DKI Jakarta and West Sumatra provincial governments.
The third agreement involves Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) working with the West Sumatra government to coordinate the sending of sponsored students to higher education institutions in Malaysia.
Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid described this initiative as an important strategy for building a skilled workforce for the future, while also reinforcing Malaysia's position as a regional education hub.
The focus is on potential students from Indonesia, as Malaysia's education system aligns with the internationally recognized Commonwealth education system and emphasizes bilingual exposure in Malay and English.
He highlighted the advantages for students in Malaysia, who are exposed to diverse cultures and language proficiency, meeting current global needs.
Last year alone, over 11,000 students from Indonesia pursued studies in Malaysia, with a 28 percent increase in applications recorded for 2024.
He added that this cooperation not only strengthens bilateral relations but also enhances Malaysia's role as ASEAN Chair in 2025, particularly in driving regional education integration and producing highly skilled youth in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
He made these statements following the signing ceremony of the Letters of Intent between UNIKL, Education Malaysia Global Services, and the provincial governments of Jakarta and West Sumatra at the Grand Hyatt in Jakarta.
During the same meeting, Malaysia and Indonesia agreed to continue advocating for the Palestinian people's rights on humanitarian grounds.
The Indonesian government emphasized the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire in Palestine, particularly in Gaza, to stop the ongoing suffering and destruction.
Malaysia reaffirmed its firm stance in support of the Palestinian struggle.
Therefore, the international community should set aside minor differences, ideologies, or beliefs. Instead, based on humanitarian grounds, we must mobilize global support to find solutions and initiate reconstruction efforts in Gaza, emphasized Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Both countries also agreed to intensify efforts on international platforms such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and ASEAN to achieve a comprehensive, just, and lasting solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.