The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) announced that its Vice President, Dr. Ümit Naci Yorulmaz, inaugurated several projects and engaged in high-level meetings during his official visit to Indonesia and Malaysia.
In Indonesia, TIKA advanced rural development through partnerships with universities and local institutions while also promoting the use of traditional medicinal plants.
TIKA partnered with the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Indonesia to help expand the reach of traditional medicinal and aromatic plants cultivated for centuries by the Baduy tribe in Indonesia’s Lebak region. The project aimed to enhance local production capacity and included cultivating eight different medicinal plants in an 8,000-square-meter (86111.28-square-feet) area, along with installing modern drying and packaging systems.
While preserving the Baduy people's traditional knowledge, the project also opened opportunities for local producers to access broader markets. The inauguration ceremony was attended by TIKA Vice President Yorulmaz, the head of the University of Indonesia’s Faculty of Pharmacy, and local officials.
During his visit, Yorulmaz met with Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Creative Economy, Dessy Ruhati, to explore cooperation opportunities in 17 sub-sectors, including film, music, fashion, game technologies, artificial intelligence, design and culinary arts.
Discussions focused on joint projects to support female entrepreneurship and emphasized the importance of sharing expertise between the two countries.
Yorulmaz inaugurated the Packaging Innovation Center at Polimedia Creative Vocational School in Jakarta.
Established as a result of Türkiye-Indonesia cooperation in education and technical capacity, the center hosts the country’s only "Packaging and Design Engineering" program. It aims to boost the capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) while promoting environmentally friendly packaging solutions.
A Coffee Production and Packaging Facility was established in Indonesia’s Rawa Gede region to promote rural development and create income-generating opportunities.
The opening ceremony, attended by Yorulmaz and local officials, brought together producer families benefiting from the project.
The initiative aims to increase the production capacity of 70 coffee-producing families in the region while fostering agricultural cooperation between Türkiye and Indonesia.
In Malaysia, TIKA implemented projects focusing on women’s entrepreneurship, support for individuals with special needs and rehabilitation programs for prisoners.
In Malacca, a Digital Center and Digital Photography Studio were opened to encourage women's participation in the digital economy.
The opening ceremony was attended by Yorulmaz, Türkiye’s Ambassador to Kuala Lumpur, Emir Salim Yüksel and the Secretary-General of Malaysia’s Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, Datuk Dr. Maziah Binti Che Yusoff.
Through training programs in online sales and photography, women entrepreneurs were equipped with essential skills.
TIKA supported the renovation of special facilities at the Tamar Sinar Harapan Ziyad Zolkefli Cheras Care Home for state-protected children with autism.
The project, which included the renewal of a computer classroom, sensory room and stress rooms, stood out as a symbol of Türkiye-Malaysia friendship and cooperation.
The opening ceremony was attended by Yorulmaz and Ambassador Yüksel.
TIKA established a textile workshop in Malaysia’s Bentong Prison to support prisoner rehabilitation.
The opening ceremony was attended by Yorulmaz, Yüksel, Prison Director Ahmad Kamil and officials from Malaysia’s Ministry of Justice.
During the event, Yorulmaz stated, “Today, we witness one of the finest examples of investing in people. At TIKA, we implement projects worldwide in collaboration with local partners to support sustainable development goals. This project not only provides vocational training but also offers a fresh start in life.”
Malaysia’s Ministry of Justice officials appreciated the cooperation with Türkiye, stating, “Everyone deserves a second chance, and we look forward to working on more projects with TIKA.”
Equipped with modern technology, the workshop aims to help prisoners acquire vocational skills and reintegrate into society.
The ongoing projects strengthen ties between Türkiye, Indonesia and Malaysia while offering sustainable solutions for cooperation in development.
