DPM: Malaysia, Vietnam will continue close cooperation

HANOI, Oct 24 — Malaysia and Vietnam will continue to boost close cooperation which had been established for 45 years.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said both countries had agreed to give attention on the South China Sea issue and to give mutual assistance as members of the Asean nations.

“Vietnam wants the South China Sea to be free of any negative elements and we will cooperate on this.

“We also see how relations within Asean had helped us whenever there were frictions or problems as well as the issue between China and the United States,”she told reporters here today.

She said this after making a courtesy call on the Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

She said Malaysia also agreed to take into consideration the welfare of about 30,000 Vietnamese workers in Malaysia in terms of exploitation elements.

“If there are elements of exploitations we will certainly look into them, especially in terms of living condition and the way they are treated, there should not be any illegal agency that indulges in exploitation,”she said.

Dr Wan Azizah said that in her meeting with the first woman appointed as the Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam, they also discussed efforts to empower the women folks in Asean.

She was told that 26 per cent of the members of the National Assembly of Vietnam comprised women.

“Women should be given equal opportunities and rights to venture into the fields that they desired,”she said.

Dr Wan Azizah said the issue on empowering women would also become the main agenda at the 3rd Asean Ministerial Meeting on Women (AMMW) which she would attend in Hanoi tomorrow. — Bernama

Source: MalayMail