16/07/2020
3 Facts You Need to Know about Malaysia’s Former PM, Tun Mahathir Work Trip to Turkey.
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Former Prime Minister of Malaysia Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad spent four days in Turkey in 2019 and met with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
1. Bolstering Economy
Firstly, Turkey and Malaysia have a substantial interest in promoting their relationship, and they want to do it via long-term economic investment, concentrating on the defense sector.
2. Unity of the Muslim people
Secondly, as both countries are overwhelmingly Muslim — and are headed by leaders known for their outspoken rejection of the Western-dominated world order — they appear ready to express demands for joint action. That came in the form of an appeal for Muslim unity during this particular visit.
3. Geopolitical Considerations
The two countries have good geopolitical justification for expanding cooperation. Turkey is undergoing extreme volatility in relations with its Western allies and is seeking to diversify its foreign policy portfolio while forming alliances with countries such as Russia and China.
Turkey’s objective is not to substitute one powerful partner with another dominant partner, but to prevent heavy dependence on one party; that is why it makes perfect sense to have more friends in Asia, rather than relying on China alone.
Malaysia has been one of the three main trading partners of Turkey within ASEAN (those being Indonesia and Thailand), and as the organization's sectoral dialogue partner Turkey finds an interest in having close friends within ASEAN.
On the other hand, for Malaysia, Turkey provides not only a huge market but also a bridge through Europe and a strong foundation in the Middle East.
As a Malaysian business based in Turkey, Tuah Inc is pleased to welcome these initiatives in line with our goal of enhancing bilateral relations for both sovereign nations.
source:
https://thediplomat.com/2019/08/turkey-and-malaysia-boost-cooperation-eyeing-defense-industry-and-islamic-unity/
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2019/07/24/dr-mahathir-to-discuss-defence-trade-issues-with-erdogan-during-working-trip-to-turkey
Economic relations, and defense industry ties are at the forefront, but can this partnership also pave the way to greater unity in the Muslim world?