Kyrgyz President Visits Malaysian Parliament

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- Kyrgyz Republic President Sadyr Zhaparov, who arrived in Malaysia yesterday for a two-day official visit, toured the Parliament House here today.

Zhaparov, who arrived at the Parliament building at 1.15 pm, spent about an hour holding bilateral discussions with Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul and Dewan Negara President Datuk Awang Bemee Awang Ali Basah.

Also present were Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Alice Lau Kiong Yieng; Dewan Negara Deputy President Senator Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed; and Works Minister Datuk Alexander Nanta Linggi, who is also the Minister-in-attendance.

After the discussions, Zhaparov and his delegation spent about 15 minutes touring the Parliament building.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Parliament said in a statement that the bilateral discussions touched on various issues of mutual interest, including education, culture, people-to-people exchanges and good governance practices.

It added that Johari also emphasised the importance of parliamentary diplomacy in expanding strategic ties between Malaysia and Central Asian countries, in addition to proposing that Kyrgyz-Malaysian student exchanges be conducted to develop young Islamic leadership and the two countries, in general.

Johari also expressed the Malaysian Parliament's readiness to strengthen joint initiatives, which include strengthening parliamentary governance and institutions, exchanges of researchers and academics, dialogue between religion and policy, as well as staff training and digitalisation of the parliamentary system.

Meanwhile, the Kyrgyz President also spoke about the reform of the parliamentary institution in his country and welcomed the establishment of the Malaysia-Central Asia Parliamentary Friendship Group as a platform for continued and meaningful engagement.

Earlier, Zhaparov was accorded an official welcome at the Perdana Putra Complex, followed by a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

At the meeting, both leaders discussed efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields, including trade and investment, renewable and green energy, the halal industry, agricommodity, tourism, education, and capacity-building through the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP).

Both leaders also witnessed the exchange of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on tourism, digital transformation and cybersecurity, higher education, health, trade promotion, economic cooperation, scientific and research collaboration, as well as an Exchange of Notes on youth development and training for diplomats and a Letter of Intent on legal cooperation.

In 2024, the Kyrgyz Republic was Malaysia’s fourth-largest trading partner among Central Asian countries, with total bilateral trade valued at RM40 million (USD8.74 million).

Malaysia’s main exports to the Kyrgyz Republic included electrical and electronic products, palm oil and palm oil-based agricultural products, machinery, equipment and parts. Its key imports from the Kyrgyz Republic comprised chemicals and chemical products, electrical and electronic products and processed food.

-- BERNAMA