Malaysian Deputy Minister of Information Datuk Zainuddin Maidin has met officials of the Ministry of Information and Malaysian students pursuing education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in his efforts to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries and to explore new areas of mutual cooperation. During his Riyadh meeting with Saudi Deputy Minister for External Information Saleh Al-Namlah, Datuk Zainuddin explored matters for mutual cooperation in the field of communication, including a visit of Malaysian journalists to the Kingdom and educational training for television and radio programs at the Tun Abdul Razak Broadcasting Institute (Iptar). Nekmat Ismail, deputy head of the Malaysian embassy in Riyadh, who accompanied Deputy Minister Zainuddin in his talks with Namlah, said the meeting was aimed at forging mutual cooperation in their fields of work. Nekmat told The Saudi Gazette that the suggested visit of Malaysian journalists to Saudi Arabia will be for comprehensive coverage of the Kingdom's overall development. The Malaysian diplomat said Namlah was of the view that Malaysian journalists should see for themselves the Kingdom's development in tourism, education, technology, agriculture and other aspects of human development. Nekmat said Deputy Minister Zainuddin has also meet with more than 100 Malaysian students who are taking up Islamic and Arabic studies in various universities in Makkah, Madina and Riyadh. Zainuddin extended the Malaysian government's invitation to the Saudi Information Minister to attend the Sixth Non-Aligned Movement's Information Ministers Conference in Kuala Lumpur from Nov. 17 to 20. Aside from the Kingdom, Deputy Minister Zainuddin has also been to the United Arab Emirates. He was to proceed to Jordan and Syria from Jeddah on Sunday.
