PRESENTATION OF LETTERS OF CREDENCE BY FOREIGN HEADS OF MISSION TO MALAYSIA

20 JANUARY 2026

 

His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia received the Letters of Credence of 12 Foreign Heads of Mission to Malaysia at a ceremony on 20 January 2026 at the Istana Negara.

The envoys are 10 resident Foreign Heads of Mission, namely H.E. Dr Sandor Sipos, Ambassador of Hungary; H.E. Mr. Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury, High Commissioner of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh; H.E. Mr. Abdoul Aziz Loum, Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal; H.E. Mr. Jehad Fouad Mabrouk Alqedra, Ambassador of the State of Palestine; H.E. Mr. Peter Spišiak, Ambassador of the Slovak Republic; H.E. Mr. Maher Kheir, Ambassador of Lebanon; H.E. Mr. Diego Pelufo Acosta y Lara, Ambassador of Uruguay; H.E. Mr. Osamah bin Dakhel R. Al-Ahmadi, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; H.E. Mr. Raden Mohammad Iman Hascarya Kusumo, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia; and H.E. Mr. Marc Abensour, Ambassador of the French Republic; as well as two (2) non resident Foreign Heads of Mission, namely H.E. Mr. Ibrahim Bileh Doualeh, Ambassador of the Republic of Djibouti (residing in Tokyo, Japan) and H.E. Mr. Luis Manuel de Magalhães de Albuquerque Veloso, Ambassador of the Portuguese Republic (residing in Bangkok, Thailand).

The ceremony was also attended by Honourable Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hasan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and H.E. Dato’ Sri Amran bin Mohamed Zin, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ceremony reflects Malaysia’s continued effort to strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation with friendly nations, in the spirit of mutual respect, shared interests, and the promotion of regional and global peace, security and prosperity.

 

PUTRAJAYA

20 January 2026 

 

UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF A MALAYSIAN CITIZEN IN JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA

 

Allahyarhamah Nadiah Kasumawati, who passed away on 15 January 2026, has been safely buried in the Dhahban Cemetery in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at 7.35 am, local time on 19 January 2026, in the presence of the husband and daughter of the deceased.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Embassy of Malaysia in Riyadh and the Consulate General of Malaysia in Jeddah, worked closely with the next-of-kin and local authorities to facilitate and coordinate all necessary funeral and burial arrangements.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expresses its appreciation to all the parties involved, in particular the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, King Fahd Hospital and other relevant agencies, for their assistance in this connection.

 

PUTRAJAYA

19 January 2026 

STATUS OF MALAYSIAN CITIZEN REPORTED MISSING IN JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Consulate General of Malaysia in Jeddah, refers to the case of a Malaysian citizen, Puan Nadiah Kasumawati, who was reported missing in Jeddah on 15 January 2026.

Following extensive efforts by the Consulate General to locate the individual, including coordination with local authorities and a review of available records, the Ministry has confirmed that the individual has passed away.

The next-of-kin has been notified of this development. The Ministry extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased during this difficult time. In this regard, the Ministry also wishes to express its appreciation to the relevant authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their assistance in this matter.

The Embassy of Malaysia in Riyadh and the Consulate General of Malaysia in Jeddah are currently providing all necessary consular assistance to the family to ensure that all arrangements are well taken care of. Representatives from the Embassy and Consulate General will be on-site to personally monitor the situation and facilitate the next steps.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterates its commitment to the welfare and safety of all Malaysian citizens abroad. In respect of the privacy of the family, the Ministry will not be disclosing further personal details regarding this case.

 

PUTRAJAYA

18 January 2026 

STATUS OF MISSING MALAYSIAN CITIZEN IN JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, via the Consulate General of Malaysia in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, confirms that a Malaysian citizen has been reported missing in Jeddah since 15 January 2026.

Since the report was received, the Consulate General has immediately undertaken a series of coordinated actions with local authorities and relevant parties, including deploying its officials to the King Abdul Aziz International Airport to conduct a search based on the individual’s last known location.

On 16 January 2026, the Consulate General facilitated the relevant Malaysian travel agency and its local partner in Jeddah in lodging a formal police report in accordance with Saudi Arabia’s regulatory requirements.

As of 17 January 2026, the Consulate General continues to engage with local authorities to expedite search efforts and in providing consular assistance to the next-of-kin, as well as remaining in constant contact with the relevant parties.

The Ministry, while stressing its commitment to ensure the welfare and safety of all Malaysian citizens abroad, wishes to emphasise that the specific details and developments pertaining to this case shall only be disclosed to the immediate family, in respect of the privacy of those involved.

In addition, this principle of non-disclosure to irrelevant parties is aimed at securing the best possible outcome of the ongoing investigation and, in particular, to prevent any misrepresentation against those involved.

Any Malaysians wishing to provide relevant information may contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the details provided below:

 

CONSULAR DIVISION, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

                                   

                                    Phone numbers:              +603-8887 4597/ +603-8887 4769/ +603-8887 4264 (office hours) /

                                                                            +603 8887 4570 (after office hours)  

                                    E-mail:                              bkrm@kln.gov.my 

 

PUTRAJAYA

17 January 2026 

JOINT STATEMENT

OF THE HIGH-LEVEL STRATEGIC COOPERATION COUNCIL MEETING

BETWEEN

THE REPUBLIC OF TÜRKİYE AND MALAYSIA

(Ankara, 7 January 2026)

 

1. H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Türkiye, and H.E. Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, met in Ankara on 7 January 2026 to co-chair the inaugural session of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council (HLSC), established within the framework of the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership. The meeting marked a significant milestone in Türkiye–Malaysia relations, providing a platform to evaluate bilateral cooperation and chart new pathways for deeper collaboration in the years ahead.

Deepening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

2. The Leaders reaffirmed the longstanding friendship, shared democratic principles, and cultural connections that underpin the relationship between Türkiye and Malaysia. They emphasized their mutual commitment to promoting peace, stability and prosperity at the bilateral, regional, and global levels.

Both Leaders also expressed satisfaction with the agreements signed during the visit in the fields of trade and investment, information and communication technologies, and defence industry.

Advancing Economic Cooperation, Investments and Connectivity

3. The two sides noted the steady growth in bilateral trade and reiterated their joint ambition to reach the target of USD 10 billion. They highlighted the importance of making full use of the Malaysia–Türkiye Free Trade Agreement, and expanding cooperation into new sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, digital trade and services. The Leaders further reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration in the growing global halal economy.

4. Türkiye and Malaysia emphasized the importance of deepening bilateral investments and agreed to expand cooperation across logistics, maritime connectivity, port development, aviation, multimodal transport, and emerging economic corridors linking Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific. In this context, the Leaders highlighted the role of civil aviation in enhancing connectivity and encouraged continued consultations between the civil aviation authorities to support efficient and sustainable air transport operations, including air cargo and passenger services. They welcomed the engagement between the business communities of both countries during the Türkiye–Malaysia Business Roundtable held on this occasion.

5. The Leaders agreed to promote cooperation in the area of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) development through the responsible organizations and to encourage interaction and cooperation between SMEs in both countries.

Enhancing Defence and Security Cooperation

6. The Leaders recognized the strategic bilateral defence cooperation, particularly in military and defence science, technology and industry as a means of enhancing national defence capabilities and contributing to regional and global stability. They agreed to deepen collaboration on mutually beneficial high-technology projectsin strengthening the joint defence industry ecosystem. Both sides also committed to enhancing military capacity building through educational and training opportunities for Turkish and Malaysian cadets and officers in Malaysian and Turkish institutions.

7. The Leaders reiterated their shared commitment to combating transnational organized crime and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and emphasized the importance of international cooperation to address evolving security challenges.

Working Together on Energy, Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Emerging Technologies

8. Both sides affirmed their will to develop potential cooperation on energy transition, electricity, energy efficiency, nuclear energy, renewable energy, clean hydrogen, and battery technologies.

9. Türkiye and Malaysia reaffirmed their shared responsibility to address climate change and advance sustainable development in line with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, both sides welcomed opportunities for continued engagement on climate change, in the run-up to Türkiye’s Presidency of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

10. Commending the valuable support of Malaysia for UN Resolution 77/161 entitled “Promoting zero-waste initiatives to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” and for "Global Commitment to Zero Waste for the World, Our Common Home", both sides expressed their readiness to cooperate closer and share best practices on Zero Waste.

11. Two sides underscored the importance of development assistance cooperation, including joint initiatives towards third countries.

12. Recognizing that emerging technologies hold transformative potential, the Leaders expressed their intention to expand cooperation in science, technology, and innovation (STI), particularly in artificial intelligence, information and communication technologies, semiconductors, space and satellite technologies, biotechnology, and digitalization. They also underscored the importance of strengthening joint research & development efforts and developing shared platforms to support innovation.

Strengthening People-to-People Ties

13. The Leaders praised the vibrant cultural, academic collaboration, as well as tourism exchanges between Türkiye and Malaysia, noting that ties between nations are ultimately sustained by the goodwill of their peoples.

Türkiye wished success for “Visit Malaysia 2026” and supported this initiative. Both sides agreed to explore further collaboration in tourism, including health, wellness, and digital tourism.

They highlighted the work of educational and cultural institutions in promoting mutual understanding and emphasized the value of student mobility, higher education scholarship opportunities, cultural exchange programs and the establishment and/or support of alumni associations in both countries.

Joint Efforts in the Field of Media and Communication

14. The two sides underlined the importance of media and communication, including public diplomacy practices in enhancing mutual understanding, and stressed the need for cooperation in addressing disinformation and reinforcing public relations capacities through joint media projects, strategic communication, and people-to-people engagement.

Cooperation on Family, Social Development, and Inclusive Social Protection Policies

15. The Leaders reaffirmed the importance of cooperation in the field of social development, including policies and programs aimed at strengthening families, empowering women, protecting children, and enhancing the well-being of older persons and persons with disabilities.

They reiterated their shared commitment to promoting the exchange of experiences and best practices in social services, family-oriented policies, and inclusive social protection systems, and expressed their intention to further deepen such cooperation with a view to fostering resilient, cohesive, and inclusive societies.

Cooperation on Regional and Global Issues

16. The two sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to promoting peace, stability, and multilateralism. They agreed to strengthen coordination in the UN, OIC, D-8, and other multilateral platforms. The Leaders also emphasized the importance of comprehensive UN reform, particularly reforming the UN Security Council to make it more legitimate, representative, democratic, accountable and transparent that corresponds with the current geopolitical realities and dynamics.

17. Malaysia reiterated its support for Türkiye’s aspiration to become an ASEAN Dialogue Partner, recognizing Türkiye’s potential contribution to regional cooperation and development. Türkiye thanked Malaysia for its continuous support and guidance for increased engagement of Türkiye with ASEAN during the ASEAN Chairmanship of 2025.

18. On regional issues, the Leaders reaffirmed unwavering support for the Palestinian people and for the establishment of an independent State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. They condemned Israel’s genocide in Gaza and violations of international humanitarian law in the West Bank, and called for full adherence to the ceasefire achieved at the Sharm Al-Sheikh Summit. The two sides underlined the importance of urgent, safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access throughout Gaza.

19. The Leaders reiterated importance of preserving Syria’s territorial integrity, unity and sovereignty, and highlighted their support to Syrian government’s continued efforts for an inclusive political process. They underlined the importance of international cooperation to create necessary conditions to ensure safe and voluntary return of refugees in a sustainable form and to eliminate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations in the region. The Leaders also emphasized the importance of sustained support for early recovery and reconstruction efforts in the country.

Looking Ahead

20. The First High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council laid the foundation for a comprehensive roadmap to deepen bilateral ties in the coming decades. The Leaders instructed the Ministers of Foreign Affairs to convene the Joint Commission Meeting by the end of 2026 to follow up on the outcomes of the First HLSC.

They agreed that the Second High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council Meeting will be held in Malaysia in 2028.