BANDUNG, April 24 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Malaysia will continue to play its roles in assisting members of the South South Cooperation (SSC) in various fields especially in technical areas. He said the country’s major contributions were in training under the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP), as well as investments in SSC countries.
“For example, our entrepreneurs have open university branches and invested in manufacturing, housing and basic infrastructural facilities and so on,” the prime minister told Malaysian journalists after attending a ‘Historical Walk.’ a highlight of the 60th Asian-African Conference Commemoration (AACC) and the 10th anniversary of the New Asian-African Strategic Partnership here.
Also present in the Malaysian delegation was his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor. South-South Cooperation is a term historically used by policymakers and academics to describe the exchange of resources, technology, and knowledge between developing countries. At the same time, Najib said when Malaysian companies expanded and went regional and global, they would be able to penetrate the markets of SSC countries.
Touching on the participation of Malaysia in the Asian-African Conference in Bandung, the Prime Minister said it was very significant not only from the symbolic aspect but also the meaning of Bandung Declaration in which its principles and spirit were still relevant even till today. “The participation of Malaysia also underscores the importance of South-South relations in the contexts of economic, trade and investment as well as cooperation reaching new dimensions which may not be possible 60 years ago.
“But now it has become a challenge not only for developed countries but South-South countries in the context of combating threats of terrorists, extremism, extreme militants, climate change, disaster management while promoting cooperation in education, human capital development and so on,” he said. As such, Najib felt the Spirit of Bandung which was founded 60 years ago was still relevant in today’s international affairs.
“There is one more that has not been achieved if we were to look back at the Bandung Conference 60 years ago which was to fight the colonists and imperialism, colonialism…all countries have become independent except the Palestinians. So I consider it as something we must continue. “Malaysia’s stand is firm and I am very proud that all who spoke earlier gave their support to the struggle of the Palestinians,” he said.
Najib also expressed his thanks to Indonesian President Joko Widodo who is better known as Jokowi and the Indonesian administration for according him and his delegation great hospitality in Bandung. MTCP is a manifestation of Malaysia in the context of South-South cooperation with other developing countries. The cooperation programme was established on the premises of sharing experience and expertise with other developing countries.
