Ankara: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit to Turkiye has opened up new opportunities to strengthen economic, trade, and investment relations between Malaysia and the republic, said Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) Chief Executive Officer Abu Bakar Yusof. He highlighted that the roundtable meeting session between the Prime Minister and 46 key industry players from both Turkiye and Malaysia yielded positive results, with both sides showing a deep interest in expanding their markets for mutual benefit.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the session provided Turkish companies an opportunity to directly engage with the Prime Minister and the Investment, Trade and Industry Minister regarding the enhancement of business relations with Malaysia. The meeting, which took place yesterday, was part of the Prime Minister’s three-day official visit to Turkiye and was attended by Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.

The meeting was jointly organized by MATRADE and the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and saw participation from major industry players such as Defence Technologies Engineering and Trade Inc, Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc, and ASELSAN, along with seven Malaysian companies. Abu Bakar noted that the feedback from the session was positive, with Turkish companies expressing a keen interest in expanding their market presence in Malaysia.

Abu Bakar added that several Turkish companies are interested in exporting to Malaysia or acquiring more products and goods from the country. Additionally, there is a noted interest from Turkish companies to invest in Malaysia. The establishment of the Malaysia-Turkiye High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSCC) was also discussed, with Abu Bakar describing it as a catalyst for economic growth and trade between the two countries. The council focuses on strengthening bilateral relations across various sectors.

During the visit, Anwar and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a Joint Declaration on the Establishment of the HLSCC and co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the council. The HLSCC aims to assess the status of bilateral cooperation, review the progress of ongoing initiatives, and explore new areas of cooperation.