ISTANBUL, Jan 9 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s three-day official visit to Turkiye, which ended yesterday, marked a significant milestone, particularly with the establishment of the Malaysia-Turkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC).
The inaugural HLSCC meeting, jointly chaired by Anwar and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on Wednesday, reflected the strength of diplomatic ties between the two countries and their commitment to expanding strategic cooperation covering investment, trade, defence and education for mutual benefit.
A Joint Declaration on the Establishment of the HLSCC was also signed by both leaders, signifying agreement to elevate bilateral relations to the highest level and opening a new chapter in Malaysia-Turkiye cooperation.
At a press conference to conclude the official visit, undertaken at Erdogan’s invitation, Anwar said the establishment of the HLSCC places Malaysia among a small group of countries trusted by Turkiye to engage in strategic cooperation at the highest level.
“This is an exciting beginning, as not many countries have bilateral relations at this level, given that the council is co-chaired by the president and the prime minister,” he said.
During the visit, Anwar also held a four-eye meeting with Erdogan, focusing on efforts to strengthen Malaysia-Turkiye diplomatic relations and an exchange of views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
Both leaders also witnessed the signing of seven documents to enhance strategic cooperation between Malaysia and Turkiye across various priority areas, reflecting a shared commitment to building a more structured, progressive and complementary bilateral relationship based on strategic interests and long-term benefits for the people of both countries.
Among the documents signed were a Letter of Acceptance (LoA) for the procurement of a Multi-Purpose Mission Ship (MPMS) 2 between Malaysia’s Home Ministry and Desan Shipyard, as well as a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and the Information and Communication Technologies Authority of Turkiye in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Efforts to strengthen Malaysia-Turkiye friendship were also reflected through a courtesy call on Anwar by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, with discussions focusing on regional and global developments, as well as reaffirming commitment to further enhance bilateral ties, particularly through close cooperation between the foreign ministries of both countries.
The prime minister also received a courtesy call from Turkiye’s Defence Industry Secretary Prof Dr Haluk Gorgun to discuss efforts to strengthen defence cooperation, including capability development, technology transfer, as well as training and human capital development.
In addition, Anwar attended a roundtable meeting with industry captains involving 46 companies from Turkiye and Malaysia spanning the defence and aerospace, semiconductor and electronics, automotive and electric vehicle, as well as halal industries, to explore new avenues for cooperation.
Anwar’s first official visit to Turkiye was further marked by a meaningful moment when he was conferred the Order of the Republic medal by Erdogan, in recognition of his role in strengthening Malaysia’s relations with the republic.
As part of the visit, which began last Tuesday, the prime minister, who is also finance minister, attended the Sentuhan Kasih Madani gathering with the Malaysian diaspora, involving professionals and students, to engage with and strengthen ties between the government and Malaysians residing in Turkiye.
Turkiye is among Malaysia’s important economic partners, with total trade between the two countries reaching RM21.2 billion (USD4.92 billion) from January to November 2025.
The republic is also Malaysia’s third-largest trading partner, largest export destination and fourth-largest source of imports among West Asian countries, with total trade valued at RM24.15 billion (USD5.28 billion) in 2024. — Bernama
