PUTRAJAYA, Oct 6 — Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper who is on a three-day visit to Malaysia from Friday, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Perdana Square, here, today.

Harper was greeted upon arrival by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at 9.30am, before the national anthems of Malaysia and Canada were played.

Harper then inspected a guard-of-honour mounted by 106 officers and men of the First Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment.

Also present to welcome Harper were Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Chief Secretary to the government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa, and several cabinet ministers.

The two leaders were then ushered to Level Five of the Perdana Putra building here to begin their bilateral meeting, where several memorandums of understanding are expected to be signed, followed by a joint press conference. — Bernama