Sultan Ibrahim’s first state visit to Bahrain since 1974 aims to strengthen economic, education and diplomatic cooperation between both nations.
MANAMA: The state visit of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, to Bahrain beginning tomorrow will mark a significant chapter in the history of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and the kingdom, as it is the first such visit since 1974.
Malaysia’s Ambassador to Bahrain Datuk Shazryll Zahiran said the three-day visit is being made at the invitation of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain.
“The strong friendship between both nations strengthens diplomatic ties, and the close relationship between the two heads of state will open up more opportunities in areas such as economic development and diplomatic relations, as Malaysia has previously been actively involved in development projects in Bahrain.
“For example, Malaysia was involved in the construction of the Bahrain International Circuit as well as major buildings such as the Bahrain Commercial Centre and one of the main bridges in Bahrain,” he said in an interview held in conjunction with the visit.
He said the close ties between the two countries are expected to attract more Malaysian investments in Bahrain, particularly in the development, health, and education and diplomatic training sectors in the future.
“Bahrain’s network of connections enables Malaysia to strengthen its economy by using Bahrain as a gateway to markets in the Middle East.
“At the same time, with Bahrain being part of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the recent ASEAN-GCC Summit and ASEAN-GCC-China Summit in Malaysia, it shows that Bahrain plays an important role in strengthening and expanding economic cooperation between ASEAN and the GCC,” he said.
Shazryll said Sultan Ibrahim’s visit will also pave the way for enhanced cooperation in education and tourism between Malaysia and Bahrain.
“Previously, there were about 300 Bahraini students in Malaysia, but the number has dropped slightly. However, we are looking at increasing the numbers again with the proposed introduction of new connectivity between Malaysia and Bahrain,” he said.
On preparations for the arrival of His Majesty, he said cooperation between Malaysia and Bahrain had gone smoothly, and King Hamad himself had personally selected a special and unique programme for Sultan Ibrahim as a gesture of friendship between the two monarchs.
“It is unique because all the programmes have been specially arranged for a head of state for the first time, including a visit to the Martyr’s Memorial, an important historical site, and a trip to the Ministry of Interior (Police Fort) here on the final day,” he said.
Accompanying His Majesty on the visit are Tunku Temenggong Johor Tunku Idris Iskandar Al-Haj, Tunku Panglima Johor Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj, and Tunku Putera Johor Tunku Abu Bakar Al-Haj, as well as Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Foreign Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin.
His Majesty will be received on arrival by King Hamad and Crown Prince Salman Hamad Al Khalifa at Sakhir Palace with full ceremonial honours, including a mounted guard of honour, a welcome by Bahraini schoolchildren, a traditional ‘Ardah’ dance performance, a 21-gun salute, and the playing of both national anthems.
On the second day, Sultan Ibrahim will attend the Royal Bahrain Concours, a classic car exhibition being held in Bahrain for the first time. In the evening, His Majesty will be honoured at a State Banquet at Sakhir Palace hosted by King Hamad.
His Majesty is scheduled to depart for home at 8 pm Malaysia time on Saturday. The state visit to Bahrain is the sixth undertaken by Sultan Ibrahim following visits to Singapore, China, Brunei, Russia and Saudi Arabia.
Last year, total bilateral trade between Malaysia and Bahrain stood at RM1.19 billion (USD0.26 billion). Malaysia’s main exports to Bahrain included processed food, palm-based products, electrical and electronic products, and transport equipment, while its main imports from Bahrain were metal goods, metal ores and scrap, petroleum products, and iron and steel.
Bahrain remains one of Malaysia’s key trading partners in the West Asia region and is Malaysia’s ninth-largest trading partner, 11th-largest export destination, and eighth-largest import source among West Asian countries.
