Marcos on Malaysia trip: We’ve done more than expected

KUALA LUMPUR - President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said Thursday that his three-day state visit to Malaysia exceeded expectations.

“I’m happy to be able to say that we’ve actually done more than we expected we would in the very short time that we are here,” Marcos said in an interview with the Philippine media delegation.

The investment pledges that the President will bring home from Malaysia could reach up to $285 million.

“It is not definite… it’s up to $285 million and so we are, because we are still seeing kung ano ba talaga ‘yung pwede,” Marcos said.

A press release from the Presidential Communications Office said Malaysian business leaders were interested in investing in the food processing industry, multi-service digital platforms, aviation, aviation maintenance support services, logistics, manufacturing, infrastructure, water, and wastewater treatment in the Philippines.

Marcos, however, could not provide an estimate on the number of jobs these investment commitments could generate.

“We don’t have a number as yet because kakapirma lang eh, we have to make assessments,” Marcos said.

Marcos also mentioned a railway project worth $3 billion involving the MVP Group.

“Let me add to that another large contract of $3 billion in terms of a new agreement that has been made by the MVP Group,” Marcos said.

Marcos did not elaborate, but he said this was for the physical connectivity among ASEAN members.

Meanwhile, Marcos said he would visit the Sultan of Johor Ibrahim Iskandar before going back to Manila on Thursday night.

He said the sultan would be the next king of Malaysia and that he wanted to continue the discussions with Malaysian leaders.

“We will visit to the Sultan of Johor to meet with him dahil siya ‘yung susunod na hari para naman magawa natin nang tuloy-tuloy kung ano ‘yung napagusapan namin ng hari dito,  Prime Minister Anwar, eh lahat ‘yun sana magtuloy-tuloy. That’s the reason for that,” Marcos said.  — VBL, GMA Integrated News