KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 24 — Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah yesterday granted an audience to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of Health and Prevention Dr Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Owais at the Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi.

It was part of the itinerary of Al-Sultan Abdullah's five-day special visit to Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The meeting, among others, discussed the UAE government's intention to contribute Covid-19 vaccine to Malaysia for clinical studies in the country.

"Al Sultan Abdullah expressed his appreciation to Dr Abdul Rahman and the UAE government for the intention,” said the Istana Negara Comptroller of the Royal Household Datuk Ahmad Fadil Shamsuddin in a statement today.

Ahmad Fadil said His Majesty, however, stated that several processes needed to be taken into account to know the feasibility of clinical studies in Malaysia, especially through the Clinical Research Centre, Clinical Research Institute and the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Division before any vaccine is accepted into the country.

Ahmad Fadil said the intention by UAE to donate Covid-19 vaccine to Malaysia and and the special visit by Al-Sultan Abdullah there reflected the strong and close bilateral relationship between the two countries.

It also shows that Malaysia and the UAE are working together in the fight against Covid-19, he added.

 During the visit, Al-Sultan Abdullah also called on the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed Zayed Al Nahyan at his official residence on Dec 22.

The special visit by Al-Sultan Abdullah to the UAE was at the invitation of Sheikh Mohamed .

His Majesty is scheduled to return home tomorrow (Dec 25). — Bernama