Philippine Vice-President Arrives For Three-Day Visit To Malaysia

SEPANG (Selangor, Malaysia), May 28 (Bernama) -- Philippine Vice-President Jejomar C. Binay arrived here Sunday to begin a three-day working visit to Malaysia to boost bilateral economic ties. The Vice-President and his delegation were greeted by Malaysian Deputy Foreign Minister, A. Kohilan Pillay at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport this evening. Also present was Malaysian ambassador to the Philippines, Dr Ibrahim Saad. Binay is leading a 35-member delegation comprising businessmen and officials to promote investment in the Philippines. This is the first high-level visit from the Philippines since 2007. Monday, the Vice-President who is also national president of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and concurrently the chairman of the Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Committee of the World Organisation of Scout Movement is scheduled to meet with Chief Scout of Malaysia, Dr Shafie Mohd Saleh and members of the Scouts Association of Malaysia. Binay is also scheduled to meet the members of the Malaysia-Philippines Business Council at a luncheon in Kuala Lumpur and pay a visit to the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) in Kuala Lumpur. Besides that, the Vice-President will take time to meet and interact with the Filipino community at the embassy's premises, as well as inaugurate the newly-renovated chancery building. Binay has been invited to be the guest-of-honour and keynote speaker at the Philippines-Malaysia Investment Partnership Forum on Tuesday. He will also pay a courtesy call on former Malaysian prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Malaysian Foreign Minister, Anifah Aman. In 2011, Malaysia was the Philippines' ninth largest trading partner, with total trade amounting to US$3.7 billion, while it was the Philippines' 11th largest export and eighth largest import market. Total Philippine exports to Malaysia in 2011 were valued at US$1 billion, while imports from Malaysia during the same year amounted to US$2.6 billion. -- BERNAMA