JAKARTA: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has arrived in Jakarta to attend the inauguration of the President and Vice-President of Indonesia for the 2019-2024 term.
The special aircraft carrying Dr Mahathir and his wife, Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, arrived at Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport in Jakarta at 10.51am West Indonesian time (11.15am Malaysian time).
The Prime Minister and his wife were received by Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah; Indonesian Minister of Villages, Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration, Eko Putro Sandjojo; as well as the Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia, Datuk Zainal Abidin Bakar.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will take his appointment oath at the Indonesian Parliamentary building at 2pm today, after winning the 2019 presidential election on April 17.
His first term (2014-2019) as president ended on Saturday.
Jokowi, 57, who is aided by the new Vice-President, Ma’aruf Amin, 76, defeated the Prabowo Subianto and Sandiaga Uno team.
Close ties
Ambassador Zainal Abidin said Dr Mahathir’s presence at the event is a manifestation of the close relationship between the two leaders and countries; and that the appointment of Jokowi for the second term will herald a new chapter and further strengthen ties between Malaysia and Indonesia.
Apart from Dr Mahathir, 17 world leaders will attend Jokowi’s inauguration. They include Brunei Darussalam’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzadin Waddaulah; Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong; Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison; and Cambodia Prime Minister Hun Sen. – Bernama