Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 21) — The Malaysian government is optimistic that the state visit of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. later this month would further strengthen bilateral ties and pave the way for more areas of cooperation.
Marcos is scheduled to visit Malaysia on July 25-27, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced in a briefing at the presidential palace.
In an interview with reporters, Malaysian Ambassador Dato’ Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino bin Anthony said the exchange of visits between Marcos and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim showed the dynamic relations between the two countries.
“We hope to touch on a new area of cooperation and intensify areas that we think there is potential between the two countries because the Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is looking forward to the visit and of course this shows very close dynamic relationship,” the Malaysian envoy said.
“We hope this visit will further bring the importance of relationship between Malaysia and Philippines to greater heights,” he added.
The Malaysian ambassador said that they are now preparing for possible agreements to be signed during the visit.
“It’s a work in progress, but we hope to, of course, touch some key decisions on certain important aspects of relationships including areas like training development, Halal industry, and of course people to people relationship,” he said.
The Malaysian ambassador added that Malaysia and the Philippines share many “important strategic relationships.”
“I think it has been further enhanced by the meeting between the two leaders of the country,” the envoy said.
The ambassador added that maritime cooperation could also be discussed during Marcos’ state visit.
“All issues are important because we are neighbors, besides areas of trade and cooperation, investments, education, culture,” he said. “Of course the areas of maritime security, areas of defense cooperation of course will be discussed as part and parcel of the relations between countries in ASEAN, so they’ve also been touching on it.”
Anwar visited Manila in March where both countries stressed the need to maintain peace and stability in the region.
The Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam, and China also have claims in the South China Sea.
The Philippines also has a long-standing dispute with Malaysia over Sabah.
Last month, Malaysia won a case before a Dutch court over a $14.9 billion payout to heirs of a Philippine sultan involved in a 19th-century deal on Sabah.
Descendants of the Sultan of Sulu, who once ruled parts of southern Philippines and Sabah, had asked The Hague Court of Appeals to enforce a decision by a French court last year ordering Malaysia to pay them $14.9 billion. The court rejected their appeal.
