Malaysian Ambassador Tan Sri H.M. Khatib is leaving for home at the end of July with a sense of reassurance that his country is important to Japan.

Khatib, who assumed the post in July 1989, is the longest serving Malaysian ambassador to Japan and the second longest serving ambassador of any country currently in Japan.

During his visit to The Japan Times on Tuesday, he said he was happy with the role he played as ambassador and was pleased to know that Japan is a good friend to Malaysia. He cited, in particular, the $3.5 billion in assistance that Japan provided to help bail out the country from the 1997-98 financial crisis.

He noted, however, that Malaysia and Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad have consistently encouraged Japan to play a role in Asia, thus indirectly expressing his hope that Japan will play a greater role in this region and elsewhere in the world.

He said he is happy to see now, as a result of his proposals, a consortium of 13 Japanese private colleges offering courses about Japan in Malaysia. After completing the courses, Malaysian students can continue and finish their studies at the parent colleges in Japan.

He is also satisfied with his efforts to forge contacts and personal relations between young Japanese Diet members and their Malaysian counterparts to ensure continued close relations between the two countries, he said.