Rohingya News Agency - channelnewsasia

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and Myanmar President Thein Sein held an hour-long restricted meeting before chairing a delegation meeting in Putrajaya on Friday (Mar 13).

Both leaders pledged to boost cooperation in tourism, education, trade and investment.

Thein Sein - on his first state visit to Malaysia - said he wants better air connectivity with Malaysia. He requested for Malaysian carriers to fly direct to not just Yangon, but to Mandalay as well. Both countries also agreed to exempt visa requirements for business travellers and government officials.

Thein Sein also invited Petronas, Malaysia's national oil corporation, to have further investment in Myanmar.

In addition, Myanmar responded positively to Malaysia's proposal of a common time zone for the 10 member nations of ASEAN.

"On having a common ASEAN time zone, the President of Myanmar said he would consider it favourably,” said Malaysia's Foreign Minister Anifah Aman. “It could be one of deliverables during our chairmanship of ASEAN."

Thein Sein had requested not to meet the media.

Anifah said Malaysia also expressed concerns about the plight of the Rohingya community in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine. There are about 100,000 Rohingya refugees in Malaysia and they are a security and social concern for the country.

“Besides providing employment and other social problems, security is one aspect which ministers for home affairs (from both countries) will work closely and from time to time see how best to improve the situation,” said Anifah.

Police had suspected that a number of killings in Malaysia last year involving Myanmar nationals were linked to ethnic strife in their home country, raising fears of a spillover of ethnic tensions into the region.