The leaders of Malaysia and Indonesia pledged renewed efforts to tackle unresolved issues in their bilateral relations including maritime borders, labour, education, trade, and investment.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak told a joint press briefing that the leaders agreed to establish a new mechanism for resolving territorial issues after a meeting with the visiting Indonesian President Joko Widodo on February 6.

Two sides will appoint special envoys to lead exploratory talks on a solution acceptable for both countries, as years of negotiations have yet to yield results.

The two leaders also agreed that Indonesian workers should come to Malaysia though official recruitment channels to ensure their safety.

An estimated 4,000 Indonesians are now employed in Malaysia as domestic helpers through legal channels, but around 105,000 others are working through unofficial means.

In terms of economics, two nations will continue to broaden trade. Their two-way trade was worth 18.25 billion USD in 2014.

From 2008 to September 2014, Malaysia invested 3.97 billion USD in Indonesia while Indonesian investments in Malaysia came to 1.89 billion USD.

PM Najib affirmed that Malaysia always welcomes Indonesian investors while President Widodo said Indonesia consistently creates favourable conditions for Malaysian businesses.-VNA