Zahid arrives in Turkiye for 4-day working visit
ISTANBUL: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has arrived in Turkiye for a four-day working visit ahead of the 2026 TRT World Forum, which opens at the Istanbul Congress Centre tomorrow.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi touched down in Turkey on Thursday for a four-day working visit coinciding with the upcoming 2026 TRT World Forum in Istanbul. Accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Hamidah Khamis and their team, Zahid's chartered flight touched down at Istanbul International Airport just before 3.30am Malaysian time.
The Malaysian Ambassador to Turkey, Adlan Mohd Shaffieq, warmly welcomed the trio at the airport. Zahid's agenda kicked off with a pre-council meeting with counterparts from Malaysia and Turkey to finalize preparations for the visit. Tomorrow morning, he'll pay a courtesy call on the President of the Turkish Higher Education Council, Prof Dr Erol Ozvar, ahead of the TRT World Forum's opening ceremony, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will officiate.
Highlighting his participation in the forum, Zahid is set to speak at a session entitled "Turkey: From Regional Power to Multi-Regional Actor." On Saturday, he'll deliver a lecture at Istanbul's Ibn Haldun University and hold a discussion with the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research think tank to explore current geopolitical and geoeconomic challenges.
Zahid will also extend an invitation to Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri and witness the signing of Letters of Collaboration between Malaysia's Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) and Turkish institutions Sabanci University and Yildiz Technical University. The event will feature 17 MARA-sponsored students currently pursuing studies in Turkey.
Malaysia and Turkey established diplomatic relations back in 1964 and have since enjoyed close cooperation in politics, economy, trade, and education. The two nations share a $5.6 billion bilateral trade relationship, with both countries eyeing to boost it to a $10 billion level by 2030, following an agreement between Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Turkish President Erdogan earlier this year.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
