KUCHING: Sarawak Minister for Transport Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin received a courtesy call from the Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia in Kuching Dr Abdullah Zulkifli on Monday.

According to a statement by the Sarawak Ministry for Transport (MOTS), the visit marked Dr Abdullah’s first official courtesy call on Dato Sri Lee since assuming office as the Consul General of Indonesia in Kuching.

“The courtesy visit provided an opportunity for both parties to reaffirm the longstanding friendship and close cooperation between Sarawak and Indonesia, while exploring opportunities to further strengthen connectivity and people-to-people exchanges.

“During the meeting, both sides held fruitful discussions on enhancing transportation connectivity between Sarawak and Indonesia. Among the key areas discussed were the expansion of air connectivity, including existing and potential flight links between Sarawak and Indonesian cities such as Jakarta, Balikpapan and Pontianak in Kalimantan.

“They also exchanged views on improving cross-border land connectivity through the various Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) checkpoints along the Sarawak–Kalimantan border, in line with the increasing movement of people and economic activities between the two regions,” it said on Monday.

Dato Sri Lee said the growing interactions between Sarawak and Kalimantan reflect the strong bilateral relationship and the increasing importance of seamless transportation links.

"More people from Sarawak and Kalimantan are travelling between the two regions. Therefore, MOTS will continue to work closely with the Consulate General of Indonesia in Kuching and the relevant authorities to further improve air and land connectivity, facilitating tourism, trade, investment and stronger people-to-people ties between Sarawak and Indonesia," he said.

The MOTS Minister also expressed his appreciation to the Consulate General of Indonesia for its continuous cooperation and looked forward to strengthening collaboration in areas of mutual interest for the benefit of both Sarawak and Indonesia.

Also present during the meeting were MOTS Permanent Secretary Datu Wong Hee Sieng together with MOTS senior officials. -UKASnews