Anwar wants Malaysia-Egypt education ties to go beyond Islamic studies

Malaysia and Egypt's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi discussed expanding their educational cooperation beyond Islamic studies during a joint press conference in Putrajaya. Anwar emphasized that the move would align with the rising demand for expertise in technical and professional fields, including engineering, medicine, electrical and electronics, digital technology, and artificial intelligence.

The Prime Minister acknowledged the significance of Al-Azhar University for Islamic education, particularly in promoting moderation, known as wasatiyyah. He expressed gratitude to Egypt for supporting the establishment of an Arabic center in Malaysia following the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed El-Tayeb's visit. Anwar stressed the need for broader educational collaboration and reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to working alongside Egypt through relevant agencies on Islamic affairs.

The leaders also agreed to enhance defense cooperation, including joint training, despite the geographical distance between the two nations. Earlier, Anwar and El-Sisi met privately before engaging in bilateral discussions on trade, investment, regional, and international matters. They also signed four memoranda of understanding, focusing on women's empowerment, higher education, tourism, and investment.

During his two-day state visit, El-Sisi, who assumed office in June 2014, is the first Egyptian president to pay a visit to Malaysia. The bilateral trade between Egypt and Malaysia stood at RM3.08 billion last year, with Malaysia exporting RM2.55 billion and importing RM530 million. The trade volume expanded by 74.7% to RM3.49 billion from January to August of this year.