Sultan Ibrahim departs Bahrain after a three-day state visit, the first by a Malaysian monarch since 1974, strengthening bilateral ties
MANAMA: Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, departed for home tonight after concluding a three-day state visit to Bahrain.
The special aircraft carrying His Majesty left Bahrain International Airport at 8.00 pm local time.
Accompanying the King were 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.
Malaysian Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin also joined the delegation.
Crown Prince Salman Hamad Al Khalifa, Bahrain’s Prime Minister, bid farewell to Sultan Ibrahim at the airport.
Also present were Malaysian Foreign Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin and Malaysia’s Ambassador to Bahrain Datuk Shazryll Zahiran.
This visit marks the sixth state visit undertaken by Sultan Ibrahim since his ascension to the throne.
It represents the first Malaysian monarch’s state visit to Bahrain since diplomatic relations began in 1974.
During the visit, Sultan Ibrahim was accorded a state welcoming ceremony at the Sakhir Palace.
He visited the Martyrs’ Memorial Monument and the Ministry of Interior (Police Fort), programmes specially arranged by King Hamad.
King Hamad hosted His Majesty at a State Banquet in the Sakhir Palace on Friday night.
Bahrain remains one of Malaysia’s key trading partners in the West Asia region.
It is Malaysia’s ninth-largest trading partner and eleventh-largest export destination among West Asian countries.
Bahrain also ranks as Malaysia’s eighth-largest import source in the region. – Bernama
