Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim concludes state visit to Bahrain, enhancing bilateral relations, trade partnerships and regional security cooperation
MANAMA: The state visit of His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, to Bahrain represents a significant effort to strengthen bilateral relations between both nations.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin, serving as minister-in-attendance, emphasised the importance of maintaining friendly countries during challenging geopolitical situations.
“Such state visits are part of His Majesty’s efforts to strengthen ties directly and personally,” he told Bernama during the visit.
Khaled noted that Sultan Ibrahim has established relationships that foster genuine closeness and trust between the countries.
This is particularly crucial for Malaysia, which practices a policy of neutrality and occasionally expresses positions not universally accepted.
Friendly nations like Bahrain can provide understanding, support and strength to Malaysia’s independent foreign policy stance.
The minister highlighted that Malaysia’s non-aligned position requires expanding market access globally.
“Bahrain, as a producer of oil and gas and aluminium, is a country whose economy is strong,” he said.
The Gulf nation now focuses on services, professional and financial sectors, making it a strategic partner for Malaysia.
Bahrain can facilitate Malaysia’s market expansion into other regions, including Africa, according to Khaled.
“The relationship between the two countries has already been pioneered by His Majesty,” he stated.
Leadership must now manage this relationship to ensure mutual benefits through strategic planning.
Regarding security cooperation, both nations recognise the importance of regional peace and stability.
Malaysia and Bahrain belong to ASEAN and the Gulf Cooperation Council respectively, with both blocs crucial for strengthening bilateral trade.
“Bahrain and Malaysia are trade partners and we do not want to see this area having a crisis that can affect world trade,” Khaled emphasised.
Defence and security aspects between GCC and ASEAN were key discussion points during the visit.
The minister stressed the need for defence relationships, information sharing, intelligence exchange and security experience sharing.
Bahrain remains among Malaysia’s major trade partners in West Asia, ranking as Malaysia’s ninth-largest trading partner in the region.
The Gulf nation is Malaysia’s 11th-largest export destination and eighth-largest import source among West Asian countries.
His Majesty concluded his three-day state visit to Bahrain and departed for Malaysia on Sunday.
The special aircraft carrying Sultan Ibrahim departed from Bahrain International Airport at 8 pm local time.
The flight safely arrived at Senai International Airport’s Royal Hangar at 8.30 am Malaysian time. – Bernama
