KUALA LUMPUR - Outgoing Indonesian ambassador, Hermono says the 2022 memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Indonesian domestic workers is the proudest achievement of his five-year tenure in Malaysia.

According to FMT, Hermono, who will return to Jakarta at the end of this month, said the MoU marked a major step in cooperation between the two countries and a personal milestone in his 40-year diplomatic career.

“That is the achievement I am most proud of for myself and for my team because it took a great deal of effort and negotiation before we could finally conclude the MoU.

“The MoU has worked very well. The conditions (for Indonesian domestic workers) are much better now, and when problems arise, both sides can resolve them more efficiently,” he said during a media gathering.

Hermono became ambassador in 2020, and had previously served as Indonesia’s deputy ambassador to Malaysia from 2013 to 2015.

He described his posting in Kuala Lumpur as the most memorable of his diplomatic career, which included assignments in Spain, Colombia, New Zealand, and Uzbekistan.

“Malaysia holds a special place in my heart because my work here focused on issues surrounding people, especially the rights and welfare of migrant workers,” he said.

Hermono said the next ambassador, Iman Hascarya Kusumo, would need to focus on migrant worker protection and border issues to strengthen bilateral ties.

He added that the relationship between the countries should not rely solely on personal ties between leaders.

“If we can solve these two issues, I think the bilateral relationship between Indonesia and Malaysia will be much stronger,” he said.

“Our relations should not be based on personal relations of the leaders; leaders come and go at any time. The strongest and the most important foundation of our relationship is the people of the two countries,” he said.

Hermono also thanked Malaysian journalists for highlighting migrant issues and said their coverage helped build understanding between the two nations.

“You have made me very popular in Malaysia like a celebrity. Wherever I go, many people recognise me,” he said.