Putin hails growing Russia-Malaysia ties, cites Anwar's visit as sign of deepening cooperation
He said Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's four-day official visit, from May 13 to 16, clearly demonstrates that bilateral ties are developing successfully and progressively, with both sides expressing strong interest in making their cooperation more substantive and transparent.
During their meeting, Putin said he and Anwar discussed a spectrum of relevant issues concerning bilateral interaction, as well as pressing matters on the international agenda.
Both leaders, he added, identified specific plans to strengthen Russian-Malaysian cooperation in the future.
'Russia and Malaysia have a long tradition of friendship and mutual understanding. We have always strived to work in partnership, building on the principles of mutual respect and mutual understanding,' he said during a joint press conference with Anwar in Moscow, Russia.
He added that both countries have all the necessary prerequisites to further enhance this partnership.
Elaborating on his discussion with Prime Minister Anwar, Putin said that, given Malaysia's current Chairmanship of Asean, the talks touched on prospects for further developing substantive dialogue between the international association and Russia.
'We spoke in detail about issues concerning the peaceful and sustainable development of the Asia-Pacific region,' the President said.
In the cultural and humanitarian sphere, Putin said both countries regularly hold film festivals, photo exhibitions, and musical concerts.
Meanwhile, Putin said there are around 700 Malaysian citizens now studying in Russia at the same time, through the quotas of the government of the Russian Federation between the universities of both countries.
Russia and Malaysia have more than 80 agreements on scientific, educational and academic exchange. The diplomas of Russian universities are being recognised by Malaysian employers without any additional accreditation, he said.
On Brics, Putin said that under Russia's presidency, a new 'country partner' category was established, and Malaysia was among the nations invited to participate in BRICS activities in this capacity.
'We are glad that our Malaysian friends have accepted this invitation, and we will do everything in our power to ensure Malaysia joins the work of all BRICS partner mechanisms swiftly,' he added.
Earlier Wednesday, Anwar was accorded an official welcome at the Kremlin, the official working residence of Putin, underscoring a pivotal moment in strengthening diplomatic ties between Malaysia and Russia.
Anwar's official visit to Russia started on May 13 and will last until May 16.
In 2024, Russia was Malaysia's ninth-largest trading partner among European countries, with total trade reaching RM11.46 billion (US$2.48 billion). — Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
26 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Tariff chatter spooks market, Bursa falls below 1,530 at midday
KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — Bursa Malaysia ended the morning session lower due to mild selling in selected heavyweight stocks, led by financial and industrial products and services counters, amid continued investor concerns over United States (US) President Donald Trump's tariff uncertainty, an analyst said. At 12.30 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) fell by 7.59 points to 1,529.95 from Monday's close of 1,537.54. The benchmark index had opened 7.85 points lower at 1,529.69. The broader market was negative, with 533 decliners trouncing 305 gainers, while 410 counters were unchanged, 1,157 untraded and nine suspended. Turnover stood at 2.01 billion units worth RM1.09 billion. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng expects the local benchmark index's volatility to heighten in the run-up to the July 9 tariff expiry. 'The FBM KLCI dipped by almost 13 points following a decent performance over the past week, as we anticipate foreign funds have again turned sellers, illustrating their extreme short-term behaviour. 'For today, we expect the index to hover between the 1,530-1,545 range,' he said. Meanwhile, Hong Leong Investment Bank Bhd said the benchmark index may continue its downward consolidation from the recent May 15 peak of 1,589 points, following the US 25 per cent tariff imposition on Malaysia. 'Selling pressure could intensify amid a potential reversal in foreign flows after two weeks of net inflows totalling RM335 million,' it said in a note today. Among the heavyweights, Maybank fell three sen to RM9.69, CIMB went down 10 sen to RM6.65, and IHH Healthcare was three sen lower at RM6.69. Tenaga Nasional gained six sen to RM13.86, while Public Bank was flat at RM4.33. As for the most active stocks, NexG and Top Glove added one sen each to 43 sen and 70 sen, respectively, Supermax rose six sen to 65 sen, while Tanco slid half-a-sen to 89 sen, and Zetrix AI remained unchanged at 95 sen. On the index board, the FBM Emas Index dropped 47.87 points to 11,470.79, the FBMT 100 Index slipped 50.90 points to 11,242.33, and the FBM Emas Shariah Index lost 64.06 points to 11,436.67. The FBM 70 Index declined 53.53 points to 16,569.92, while the FBM ACE Index shed 11.10 points to 4,462.52. By sector, the Financial Services Index decreased 86.66 points to 17,635.30, the Industrial Products and Services Index edged down 1.71 points to 153.70, the Energy Index eased 3.39 points to 734.20, and the Plantation Index trimmed 28.15 points to 7,416.86. — Bernama
Malay Mail
27 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
CM says Sabah Maju Jaya initiatives near full success
KOTA KINABALU, July 8 — The Gabungan Rakyat Sabah state government's five-year development blueprint, the Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) 1.0 Plan, has achieved a 94 per cent overall implementation rate as of May 2025, with 366 out of 467 initiatives fully completed, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor. In a speech read by Assistant Minister Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan, Hajiji said there was strong performance across economic, infrastructure, and welfare sectors as the development plan enters its final phase. 'A total of 366 initiatives have achieved a 100 per cent completion rate. The economic growth of the state of Sabah has consistently progressed positively and increased year by year,' he told the State Assembly today, adding that the state's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased by RM6.5 billion in the last five years. In 2020, it stood at RM77.8 billion, increasing to RM78.7 billion in 2021, RM82.1 billion in 2022, RM83.2 billion in 2023, and RM84.3 billion in 2024. 'Sabah's total trade volume surpassed the RM100 billion mark in 2022, recording its highest-ever trade value at RM118 billion, an increase of RM30.8 billion compared to RM87.2 billion in 2021. Sabah's total revenue from 2021 to 2024 amounted to RM26.22 billion, with its annual revenue nearly doubling over five years, rising from RM3.59 billion in 2020 to RM6.84 billion in 2024. Hajiji said that the growth was driven partly by a Commercial Collaboration Agreement with Petronas under the 'Greater Say, Greater Participation, Greater Revenue' principle. Key sectors such as agriculture, industry, tourism, and infrastructure saw substantial investments and upgrades. Human capital, social welfare, and sustainable development were also focal points of the plan. He highlighted several achievements in infrastructure: Sabah's total road length increased by 982 km from 2021 to 2024, a majority of which were municipal roads at 392 km, followed by 283 km of state roads, and 271 km of city council roads. Federal roads amounted to only 36 km. He claimed that treated water capacity increased from 1,505 MLD (2021) to 1,630 MLD (2024), while water treatment plants rose from 85 to 90. Ongoing water projects scheduled for completion by next year are Telibong II, Beluran, Kanibongan, Kasigui UWSS, Kogopon, and Papar alternate intake, while the non-revenue water (NRW) rate reduced from 60 per cent to 52 per cent. Meanwhile, 11 power projects amounting to 1,219 MW were approved to be completed between 2025–2031, and the electricity outage rate (SAIDI) reduced to 207 minutes in 2024, from 332 minutes in 2021. He also said that 52 investments worth RM17.42 billion were realised between 2021 and 2024, not including RM10.9 billion in investments approved in the first quarter of 2025. Domestic investment surpassed foreign investment in both 2023 and 2024. Hajiji also said that the state plans to expand another 200,000 hectares of land into protected areas, hitting its target of 30 per cent protected areas. Sabah currently has two million hectares of Totally Protected Areas (TPAs). Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) currently span 1.015 million hectares and continue to expand. During a supplementary question, Finance Minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said that the state government does not have the capacity for oil exploration yet and would look into more options when it could. He was asked by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal how it awarded an oil exploration project. 'SMJ and Sabah International Petroleum do not have the capacity now. We will have it soon, but we cannot be compared to Sarawak. They are 100 years ahead of us. We have just started crawling while they are running. Please look at the larger perspective, because we do not have the expertise that allows us to bid on such international projects, but that does not mean we are not involved at all. 'We may be quiet but we are getting results,' said Masidi.
Malay Mail
36 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
ABP Group expands in Malaysia with new KL cybersecurity hub
KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — ABP Group, Asia's leading cybersecurity provider, has strengthened its presence in Malaysia with the launch of a new office in KL Eco City, strategically located opposite Mid Valley City. This milestone builds on six years of established operations in the country and supports the group's long-term strategy to expand its capabilities across South-east Asia. The newly launched Kuala Lumpur office features a modern and spacious environment designed to support a growing team of cybersecurity experts. It includes infrastructure upgrades to support regional delivery, technical collaboration, and talent development. 'This expansion allows us to build greater delivery capacity, deepen client engagement, and respond more quickly to emerging threats in the region. As demand for cybersecurity solutions increases, our presence in Malaysia ensures we remain close to our clients and equipped to support their needs,' said Sun Yi, group chief executive officer of ABP Group. The Malaysian expansion complements ABP Group's regional footprint, with the new office serving as a base for project execution, technical support, and training initiatives. Malaysia plays a central role in ABP Group's broader regional roadmap for South-east Asia. ABP Group's continued investment reflects a deep belief in Malaysia's emergence as a cybersecurity leader for the region. 'This expansion brings us closer to a more unified cybersecurity ecosystem across South-east Asia, starting with Singapore and Malaysia, working in sync through shared infrastructure, shared talent, and a common standard of resilience,' Sun explained. Cybersecurity risks in South-east Asia have intensified as digital adoption accelerates. According to Kaspersky Cybersecurity Report for Malaysia (1H2024), Malaysia recorded 19.62 million web-based attacks in the first half of 2024, the highest in the region. ABP Group's capability is delivered through three specialised business units to offer end-to-end cybersecurity coverage across South-east Asia. The first pillar, Sunnic, leads technology innovation and research and development (R&D), while ABP Cyber provides tailored cybersecurity solutions, and ABP Securite drives value-added distribution through its growing partner ecosystem. These units work together to deliver regional impact with local precision. The KL Eco City office will serve as ABP Group's hub for client engagement, technical collaboration and local talent development. 'This is more than a physical expansion. It is about reinforcing the infrastructure needed to deliver cybersecurity at scale. As Malaysia moves deeper into a digital-first future, the need for trusted cybersecurity partners will only grow. ABP Group sees this as a long game, one that demands not just technical capability but long-term thinking, shared responsibility, and local leadership,' Sun added.
