Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he has chosen Indonesia as his first official visit overseas in recognition of the welcome given by the country when he was out of power.
Speaking to the local media at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Jakarta, he acknowledged the long-standing relations with Indonesia as Malaysia's neighbour.
"Indonesia is our neighbour, a good friend, a loyal friend when I was at the time cast out, set aside, sidelined.
"Indonesia accepted me as a loyal friend. So I did not forget that," said Anwar whose own speeches in Malaysia were often peppered with anecdotes from Indonesia's history of reforms and uprisings from the time of the republic's first president Soekarno.
Anwar was first cast out of mainstream Malaysian politics in 1998 after he was booted as deputy prime minister under Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s cabinet.
At the time, the Reformasi movement that founded PKR as a vehicle to demand justice for Anwar was partly inspired by a similar wave in Indonesia that eventually saw the downfall of former president Soeharto after decades in power.
Anwar, however, was subsequently convicted and sent to prison under charges of sodomy.
After being freed from prison, Anwar maintained close relations with many Indonesian political figures, including former president the late Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, who he had described as family.
On his scheduled meeting with Indonesia President Joko Widodo at the Presidential Palace tomorrow, Anwar said there are 12 things on the agenda for discussion. - Mkini
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