Bilateral Meeting with the Minister of Justice of Timor-Leste, His Excellency Dr. Sergio de Jesus da Costa Hornai

I held a bilateral meeting in Dili 🇹🇱 with the Minister of Justice of Timor-Leste, His Excellency Dr. Sergio de Jesus da Costa Hornai.

Joining me were His Excellency Dato’ Amarjit Singh Sarjit Singh, Ambassador of Malaysia to Timor-Leste, and Dr. Punitha Silivarajoo, Deputy Director-General of the Legal Affairs Division, Prime Minister’s Department.

I extended my heartfelt congratulations to His Excellency Dr. Hornai on the positive developments surrounding Timor-Leste’s anticipated accession to ASEAN this coming October. We look forward to welcoming Timor-Leste as a full member of the ASEAN family.

Our discussions centred on enhancing bilateral cooperation in areas such as legal and institutional reform, capacity building, and promoting good governance. Malaysia stands ready to support Timor-Leste in these endeavours.

In alignment with Malaysia’s focus for the legal sector in conjunction with our 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship, I also highlighted the importance of strengthening alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, particularly arbitration and mediation, and conveyed our readiness to collaborate in these areas.

During the meeting, I had the pleasure of personally presenting the official invitation letter for the ASEAN Law Forum 2025 to His Excellency Dr. Hornai. The forum is scheduled to be held from 19 to 21 August 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, as another key event of Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship.

I also additionally raised the matter of a $30 visa fee being imposed by Timor Leste for a 30-day visa for Malaysian passport holders. I am pleased to learn that an exemption has been approved, subject to the same being approved by the Timor Leste Parliament as well. This is most welcome news for Malaysians residing in Timor Leste or those looking to visit.

I expressed my sincere appreciation to His Excellency and his team for the warm and gracious welcome extended to us at the Ministry of Justice. We look forward to hosting the Timor-Leste delegation in Kuala Lumpur this August.

Following the bilateral engagement, I also held a productive discussion with Mr. Virgilio da Silva Guterres, the Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice of Timor-Leste (PDHJ), and his team. The meeting focused on human rights issues and the governance of Timor-Leste’s public administration.

I was impressed to learn that Timor-Leste’s Ombudsman institution is underpinned by a robust legal framework—enshrined in the Constitution—with provisions that safeguard its independence, including appointment by Parliament and removal requiring a two-thirds majority vote. These strong institutional features are noteworthy as Malaysia explores the establishment of an Ombudsman of our own.

Timor-Leste is a young nation with a resilient spirit and a deep commitment to democratic values and human rights. I am confident that with continued collaboration, our countries can build a stronger, more inclusive regional legal community: one rooted in justice, mutual respect, and shared progress.