Malaysian PM Hails Türkiye’s Industrial and Technological Strength, Reaffirms Strong Bilateral Ties

Ankara, The Gulf Observer: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday praised the “capacity and strength” of Türkiye’s industry, science and technology, underscoring the depth of trust and cooperation between Ankara and Kuala Lumpur.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, Anwar lauded the close bilateral ties between the two countries, saying such relations are built on mutual trust, affection and confidence in each other’s capabilities.

“It’s not many countries that we have these relations,” Anwar said, noting his strong belief in the capacity of the Turkish people and the strength of Türkiye’s industry, science and technology to demonstrate their capabilities on the global stage.

The Malaysian prime minister said his country has been “benefiting immensely” from government-to-government arrangements in defence industry production with Türkiye, particularly in the naval and aerospace sectors.

Anwar also expressed confidence that the bilateral trade volume target of $10 billion is well within reach, describing the goal as “not ambitious at all.”

“You have a great economy, and we, of course, are relatively smaller but growing at a very fast pace,” he said, adding that Malaysia has emerged as a major destination for investments in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, data centres and advanced technologies, including rare earth industries.

He thanked President Erdogan for his “courageous leadership,” saying it has had an impact not only on Türkiye but also globally, particularly across the Muslim world.

Referring to Erdogan’s earlier remarks on Gaza, Anwar condemned what he described as a “total abandonment of moral principles” and a “disregard for humanity and justice,” citing continued Israeli actions in Gaza that have resulted in suffering among innocent civilians.

“We need a voice of conscience. We need leadership. The world of politics is facing a deficit in terms of moral and ethical values,” Anwar said.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is paying an official visit to Türkiye from January 6 to 8 at the invitation of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.