SHAH ALAM - Whether we realise it or not, 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Turkey, two Islamic nations, with numerous significant events rich in the spirit of brotherhood.
With both countries exploring boundless opportunities for collaboration in trade, commerce, education and cultural exchange, Malaysia and Turkey’s strong advocacy for the rights of oppressed Islamic nations has also gained global recognition.
The reality is that Turkey and Malaysia share deep-rooted bilateral relations and a history of brotherhood dating back to the ties between the Ottoman Empire and the Malay Archipelago in the 16th century.
In recent years, bilateral relations between the two countries have witnessed significant progress.
This is further strengthened by the close personal relationship between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan tracing back to their university years.
In 2014, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties, Turkey’s Ambassador to Malaysia Emir Salim Yuksel revealed that Turkey and Malaysia had established a "Strategic Partnership" and in 2022, it was further advanced to the level of "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership."
He said Turkey and Malaysia had also worked closely in multilateral forums, particularly within the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and D-8.
Turkey is also a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of Asean.
Commercial and Economic Cooperation
In strengthening the lasting bond of friendship between the two countries, commercial and economic cooperation played a crucial role.
In this context, Turkey and Malaysia have taken significant steps to enhance commercial ties, including a free trade agreement signed in 2015.
Emir said trade volume between the countries has seen substantial growth, rising from USD$ 3.5 billion (RM 15.3 billion) in 2021 to USD$ 4.6 billion (RM 20.11 billion) in 2023.
Even better, Malaysia remained Turkey's largest Asean trading partner.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia international law expert Professor Dr Salawati Mat Basir said despite the physical distance between Turkey and Malaysia, it has not hindered the two countries from developing economic, commercial and technical cooperation in areas beneficial to both sides.
For example, she highlighted Turkey's defence industry, which became a global competitor as one of the most crucial areas of collaboration with Malaysia.
"As part of military cooperation, the Turkish Navy Ship TCG Kinaliada visited Port Klang in May 2024. This is a promising sign of efforts to improve national security at border areas.
"We have also considered various agreements for purchasing military and security assets from Turkey.
"This step is important to reduce Malaysia's dependence on major world powers for arms production," she told Sinar.
Salawati also emphasised the importance of Malaysia-Turkey diplomatic relations in the areas of culture and education.
With the establishment of the Yunus Emre Enstitüsü Turkish Cultural Centre in Kuala Lumpur, the largest Turkish language centre in Southeast Asia, she said more Malaysians were benefiting from higher education opportunities in Turkey.
"Turkey sees Malaysia as a highly significant diplomatic partner.
"That’s why the Turkish government has shown strong support for Malaysia’s efforts, including defending Palestinian sovereignty, despite Turkey maintaining diplomatic relations with Israel and being a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation," she said.
Tourism Hub
Meanwhile, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia Faculty of Syariah and Law Associate Professor Dr Mohd Azmi Mohd Rusli believed there was great potential in the tourism sector that Malaysia could leverage through close cooperation with Turkey.
For instance, he highlighted that Malaysia has become a unique educational and tourism hub for thousands of Turkish tourists, thanks to the shared history, religion and cultural traditions between the two countries.
"Similarly, Turkey is a favourite tourist destination for Malaysians, with nearly 100,000 Malaysians visiting each year.
"Istanbul’s iGA Airport is one of the world’s best-connected airports and there are two daily flights between Kuala Lumpur and Istanbul operated by Turkish Airlines,
"Malaysia can fully optimise the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, which was recently recognised as the most connected airport in the Asia-Pacific region, according to global tourism data platform OAG.
"This could attract more European tourists and tourists worldwide," he said.
INFO:
Malaysia-Turkey Bilateral Relations
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