KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak, at the end of a three-day official visit to the Philippines this week said he hopes the two countries can boost economic relations. Speaking during a breakfast meeting with the Malaysia-Philippines Business Council at the end of his three-day official visit to the Southeast Asian country, the Prime Minister said he hoped that the recent peace deal and Malaysia's role in the agreement between southern rebels and Manila can be the beginning of a new relationship between the countries. The Prime Minister said Malaysia's investment in the Philippines was three times greater than the latter's investment in Malaysia. “We hope the level of total trade in terms of value and volume can be increased in the near future … I think the potential is not (fully) realised. Hopefully, we can see an upsurge in political and economic ties,” he said. The PM said the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines-East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) also needed fresh impetus and the signing of the framework agreement on the Bangsamoro would further help create a condusive environment for business and investment opportunities. He also said the new peace will see ““people of different faiths live together, united by common values, under a common constitution." Speaking at the signing ceremony as part of his first official visit to the Philippines, the Prime Minister paid tribute to all parties involved in the negotiations for the “trust, tolerance and perseverance" they had shown in reaching this agreement. He gave special praise for President Aquino and Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, Chairman of MILF, for their commitment and courage in brokering peace. The Prime Minister reiterated that Malaysia is honored to have facilitated today's agreement. But he also warned that while it was a day of “hope and promise", both sides must recognize their responsibilities in the coming months, as they work towards a final peace agreement. “Today we pay tribute to the quiet bravery of negotiation. To the many years and countless hours spent in search of shared understanding," he said. “In confronting their differences and finding common ground, both sides have given something. But the people of the Southern Philippines have gained everything. “In choosing peace over conflict, and stability over chaos, both sides have stated their belief not just in universal principles of democracy, justice, and tolerance, but in their application in the service of a greater good. “In years to come, I believe all those involved will look back and see that their hands laid the foundations for an enduring peace. That their willingness to give, and to forgive, made possible a better future for all." The deal signed between the government and MILF in the Philippines has many hoping that years of violence that has left thousands of people dead will finally come to an end in the country.
