ANKARA: Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was on Wednesday (Jan 7) conferred the Order of the Republic, Turkiye’s highest state honour, in recognition of his role in strengthening bilateral ties between Malaysia and the republic. Also present at the conferment ceremony were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, and Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani. Malaysia’s total trade with Turkiye from January to November 2025 amounted to RM21.2bil, with the republic continuing to be an important economic partner for Malaysia. Meanwhile, Anwar said in a statement that he accepted the conferment with deep gratitude and humility, not in a personal capacity, but on behalf of all Malaysians. Anwar also expressed hope that the recognition would continue to serve as a catalyst to strengthen Malaysia-Turkiye cooperation across various strategic fields, for the benefit of the people of both countries.

Source: The Star January 08, 2026 07:15 UTC