6-8-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) The bilateral relations between Malaysia and Turkiye are expected to reach new heights as President Tayyip Erdogan has accepted an invitation to visit Malaysia, announced Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
In a Facebook post on Sunday (Aug 6), Anwar revealed that he had a virtual meeting with President Erdogan, during which the Turkish leader confirmed his commitment to visit Malaysia in the near future. The visit aims to strengthen the ties between the two nations, and President Erdogan also agreed to meet Anwar during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York next month.
During their discussion, President Erdogan expressed his prayers for the success of Malaysia’s unity government in the six state elections. Anwar conveyed his wife Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and his family’s well wishes to Erdogan’s wife, Emine, and expressed their eagerness to meet soon.
The two leaders also delved into matters of investment cooperation between Malaysia and Turkiye. Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB) pledged an investment of RM1.161 billion at Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (ISGIA), which MAHB owns and operates. Additionally, Batik Air Malaysia has been designated as the operator for the KUL-ISG route, and flights are set to commence in October 2023.
Defence cooperation was another focal point of the discussion. Turkiye’s Defence Industry Agency sent a substantial delegation to partake in the recent Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition. Anwar praised Turkiye’s advancements in defence technology and recognized the potential benefits for Malaysia through closer cooperation. Both leaders agreed, in principle, to finalize a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation in the near future.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir was also present during the virtual meeting.
Highlighting the economic aspect, Malaysia’s trade volume with Turkiye reached US$4.62 billion (RM21.04 billion) in 2022, marking a 12.6% increase. Turkiye’s imports of palm oil and palm oil-based agricultural products resulted in a trade surplus of US$3.33 billion (RM15.17 billion).
Amidst their discussions, Anwar took the opportunity to reiterate the unity government’s unwavering stance against violence and its refusal to compromise with any party involved in terrorism in the country.
Moreover, Anwar briefed President Erdogan on Malaysia’s efforts to combat Islamophobia, including the condemnation of the Quran burning incident in Sweden. The Malaysian government firmly condemned such acts that hide behind the guise of freedom of speech promoted by the West. In response, Malaysia pledged to donate one million copies of the Quran worldwide, including 15,000 copies with translations in Swedish, to address Western misconceptions about Islam.
