SHAH ALAM - The roles played by Turkiye and Malaysia in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) are crucial as joint actions carry significant weight within the 57-member organisation.
Turkish ambassador to Malaysia Emir Salim Yuksel said both countries' roles in the organisation which was the largest intergovernmental organisation representing the Muslim world were seen as increasingly influential.
He said it was natural for Turkiye to coordinate their efforts, especially when it came to matters of international importance such as the situation in Gaza and broader Palestine issues.
"The OIC provides a powerful platform for us to advance common goals, particularly in matters of humanitarian crises, regional security and political cooperation," he said.
He said the platform provided an opportunity for Malaysia and Turkiye to stay connected, coordinate necessary actions with international media platforms and tackle emerging challenges on the ground, achieving greater impact through their collaborative efforts.
Yuksel said in one of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's visits, they discussed about the coodination of efforts following Israel's attack on Gaza.
This, he said demonstrated the importance of regular communication on such issues.
"I think the roles played by Turkiye and Malaysia in the OIC are crucial, as joint actions can significantly influence the 57-member organisation's collective impact," he said.
He also highlighted the strong diplomatic relationship between Turkiye and Malaysia, which has strengthened over the past two to three years.
"Turkiye and Malaysia are very close. We made significant strides over the last two to three years, with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022 becoming a turning point in our bilateral relations.
"There have been high-level visits ever since, such as the Majesties, the Foreign Ministry, including Anwar's visits to Turkiye for various reasons," he said.
He said the comprehensive relationship aimed to deepen ties across various sectors where changes could be seen after two years with the amount of exchanges that had been made.
He added that the exchange of visits between the Defence Ministers of both countries marked a significant milestone in their diplomatic relations.
He said the defence industry was another important sector portraying the bilateral relations between Turkiye and Malaysia.
"Now we have reached a point where we should also deepen our collaboration in other sectors," he said adding that their current focus was on education and higher education collaborations, with ongoing projects involving the Higher Education and Education Ministers.
"We are working to establish student exchanges and cultural activities, which will form the basis for stronger ties between the two countries in the future," he said.