Yudhoyono supports efforts to empower Indonesians overseas

07/07/08 14:18



Kuala Lumpur (ANTARA News) - Visiting President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he fully supported efforts to empower Indonesian nationals overseas so that they too could contribute to their country`s progress, his spokesman said.

The head of state really appreciated the initiative to improve the cooperation networks among Indonesian nationals abroad, presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said after accompanying the president at a meeting with Indonesian youths in Kuala Lumpur on Monday.

"The president met with a number of Indonesian youth representatives in Malaysia who have just conducted a seminar on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of National Awakening," Dino said.

At the meeting with Yudhoyono, the youth representatives presented the results of their seminar to the president as an input for the government.

According to Dino, one of the recommendations which was responded to positively by the president was a plan to set up a networking system among Indonesian people abroad, especially in Malaysia.

"The president fully supports the idea to make the networking system because it is of great importance for Indonesia`s progress," Dino Pati Djalal said.

President Yudhoyono and his entourage arrived here at 4.35 on Sunday evening for a D-8 (group of eight developing countries) summit.

His entourage was made up of Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu, Environment Minister Rahmat Witoelar, Chief of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) MS. Hidayat and Chief of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) M. Luthfi.

D-8 is a group of developing countries that have formed an economic development alliance. The group was established at meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, on June 15, 1997.

On Monday afternoon, the Indonesian head of state will hold a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to discuss cooperation between the two countires.