ISTANBUL, Nov 5 – Malaysia will actively raise the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza during the TRT World Forum 2026, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi confirmed.
Speaking to Malaysian media in Istanbul on Thursday, November 5, 2026, following a delegation pre-meeting during his four-day working visit to Turkiye, Ahmad Zahid emphasized that continued bombardments in Gaza demand urgent, coordinated global intervention.
“Turkiye, which has diplomatic relations with Israel, is in a position to influence not only Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but also United States President Donald Trump,” Ahmad Zahid noted. “Therefore, Turkiye has an important role to play in helping find a solution to the Palestinian issue, not only on behalf of Muslim countries but also on humanitarian grounds.”
Beyond humanitarian diplomacy, Ahmad Zahid—who also serves as Minister of Rural and Regional Development—highlighted significant potential for Malaysia to deepen trade and strategic ties with Turkiye, specifically through security and defense procurement.
He pointed out that Turkiye’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and its advanced military technology offer Malaysia valuable opportunities for defense equipment acquisition, technology transfer, and joint technical expertise sharing.
The Deputy Prime Minister arrived in Istanbul earlier today at 3:30 AM local time (8:30 AM Malaysian time) for his November 5–8 working visit.
Since establishing diplomatic relations on June 17, 1964, Malaysia and Turkiye have expanded bilateral trade to US$5.6 billion. Both nations reiterated their January 2026 commitment to scale bilateral trade volume to US$10 billion within five years, reinforcing Malaysia’s standing alongside Singapore as one of Turkiye’s chief economic partners in Southeast Asia.
Gaza Advocacy, Defense Technology Transfer, and Bilateral Trade Goals
Key thematic priorities, diplomatic stances, and economic targets outlined by the DPM include:
- Gaza Crisis Advocacy: Raising the Palestinian humanitarian crisis at TRT World Forum 2026 and urging Turkiye to leverage diplomatic channels with US and Israeli leadership.
- Defense & Technology Transfer: Expanding defense procurement with Turkiye, leveraging NATO-grade technology transfers and industrial expertise sharing.
- Visit Logistics: Four-day working visit to Istanbul from Nov 5 to Nov 8, 2026.
- Bilateral Economic Target: US$5.6 billion current trade volume, targeting US$10 billion within five years.
–NMT
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