Medan: Malaysia’s bilateral trade with North Sumatra exceeded US$1 billion (US$1=RM4.19) in value last year, making Malaysia the second-largest ASEAN investor in the region, according to Malaysian Consul General in Medan, Shahril Nizam Abdul Malek. At the same time, Indonesia was Malaysia’s second-largest trading partner within ASEAN and the seventh-largest globally.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Malaysia-Indonesia bilateral trade in 2024 was valued at US$25.5 billion (RM116.29 billion), an increase of 4.5 per cent compared with US$24.39 billion (RM111.21 billion) recorded in 2023. This was announced by Shahril Nizam at the National Day and Malaysia Day 2025 dinner in Medan on Tuesday. The event was attended by more than 300 guests, including government officials from North Sumatra, South Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh, along with members of the diplomatic corps and leaders in business, banking, healthcare, and tourism.

In a statement, Shahril Nizam emphasized that as the chair of ASEAN, Malaysia has mobilised efforts to contribute to the peace and security of the region through closer cooperation with member countries. Meanwhile, Government and People’s Welfare Assistant, Basarin Yunus Tanjung, remarked that the Consulate General is a symbol of Malaysia’s commitment to fostering close, respectful, and lasting relations with Sumatra.

Medan is the capital of North Sumatra and Indonesia’s third-largest city after Jakarta and Surabaya in East Java.