Anwar hopes Canada reconsider visa exemption for Malaysians
Anwar highlighted the importance of aligning Malaysia's visa treatment with that of other Commonwealth nations to enhance people-to-people connections and foster broader multilateral exchanges. He shared this in a post on X while on an official visit to Paris.
During the conversation, Anwar also congratulated Carney on the Liberal Party's recent election victory in Canada. The current visa process for Malaysians involves fees payable to the Canadian government, biometric charges, and additional service costs through VFS Global, the designated visa administrator in Malaysia. - Bernama
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Malay Mail
36 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Anwar heads to Brazil for Brics summit, pushing inclusive global order and AI governance as Asean chair
KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is set to reinforce the importance of multilateralism amid a rapidly polarising global landscape and Malaysia's unwavering commitment to a more balanced, inclusive world order at the 17th Brics Leaders' Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 6–7. Acting Head of Mission of the Malaysian embassy in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, Datuk Mohammad Ali Selamat, said the Prime Minister will deliver a statement entitled: 'Strengthening Multilateralism, Economic–Financial Affairs and Artificial Intelligence,' during the session for Brics partner countries on Sunday. He will also deliver another statement on 'Environment, COP30 and Global Health' on Monday. Speaking to the Malaysian press in a virtual session from Brasília, Mohammad Ali said both interventions reflect Malaysia's steadfast commitment to strengthening multilateralism and amplifying the voice and interests of developing countries, aligned with the core objectives of Brics 2025. Anwar is set to arrive in Rio de Janeiro this morning for the Brics Summit, following his official visit to France, which ended yesterday. This marks his second visit to Brazil, after attending the G20 Summit as a guest last year. Both visits are on the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. 'The Prime Minister will emphasise the importance of multilateralism through constructive dialogue and inclusive collaboration, as Malaysia firmly believes that platforms such as Brics play a vital role in enabling the international community, particularly developing countries of the Global South, to collectively address shared challenges that threaten sustainable development, equitable growth and global stability. 'Malaysia, as Asean Chair, promotes regional cooperation through digital transformation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance and more inclusive trade. 'In the second session, the Prime Minister will focus on the challenges of addressing global health issues and climate change through international cooperation, while also emphasising efforts to strengthen climate financing towards a sustainable transition,' he said. As Chair of Asean 2025, Mohammad Ali said Malaysia is also looking forward to strengthening ties between the two groupings to enhance regional economic cooperation that contributes to collective efforts toward building a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable global economy during the Brics Leaders' Summit, themed 'Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance.' Anwar, who is currently undertaking a visit to three countries — Italy, France, and Brazil — from July 1 to 7, is scheduled to arrive in Rio this morning for the summit. Malaysia's participation in the summit is in its capacity as a Brics Partner Country and as Chair of Asean 2025. Malaysia officially became a Brics Partner Country on January 1 this year. The Brics group — which serves as a political and diplomatic coordination forum for countries of the Global South and collaboration across diverse sectors — was initially established by Brazil, Russia, India and China. It later expanded with the inclusion of South Africa in 2011, followed by Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2023, and Indonesia in 2024. Malaysia, as well as Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Nigeria, Thailand, Vietnam, Uganda and Uzbekistan, were accepted as Brics partner countries. Meanwhile, during his visit to Rio de Janeiro, Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister, is scheduled to have a business meeting with Brazil's multinational aerospace corporation, Embraer. The Prime Minister's delegation here includes Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, senior government officials and representatives from Malaysian companies. Mohammad Ali also highlighted that bilateral trade between Malaysia and Brazil increased by 14.6 per cent to RM20.35 billion (US$4.38 billion) in 2024, rising from RM17.43 billion recorded in the previous year, maintaining Brazil as one of Malaysia's main trading partners in Latin America. Among Malaysia's exports to Brazil are electrical and electronic products (E&E), rubber products, petroleum products, chemicals and chemical products and palm oil-based manufactured products, while imports from the South American country include metalliferous ores and metal scrap, meat, coffee, and crude petroleum. 'Brazil is among the main markets for E&E and rubber products, while we import halal meat and raw sugar from Brazil, which contributes to Malaysia's food security,' he added. 'The oil and gas sector is Malaysia's largest investment through Petronas, while we will also hold discussions on semiconductors, food security, and green energy from time to time.' Rio de Janeiro is a vibrant coastal city in Brazil, renowned for its iconic beaches like Copacabana and Ipanema, the towering 38-metre Christ the Redeemer statue atop Mount Corcovado, and the stunning Sugarloaf Mountain, accessible by cable car. The city is also famous for its vast favelas, or shantytowns, and its world-famous 'Carnaval do Rio de Janeiro', a dazzling celebration with elaborate parade floats, colourful costumes, and lively samba dancers, which is widely regarded as the largest in the world. — Bernama
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Macron hails Anwar's Paris visit as a success, says it revives high-level France-Malaysia ties after 15 years
PARIS, July 5 — French President Emmanuel Macron has described Malaysia's Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's two-day visit to France as a success, with the two nations reviving partnerships across all sectors. He said this was achieved through Anwar's high-level meetings with his French counterpart François Bayrou and other key officials, his important speech at Sorbonne University Paris as well as his exchanges with civil society leaders and meetings with French businesses. Macron also called the visit meaningful, as it had been 15 years since the last official visit by a high-ranking Malaysian official. He expressed delight to see both countries signing agreements in areas such as minerals and aircraft purchase. 'This visit is a success. We also heard your (Anwar) speech at the university and that is a very important moment,' he said during a joint press conference after holding a bilateral meeting with Anwar at the Elysee Palace here yesterday. Anwar had earlier delivered a lecture entitled 'Southeast Asia and Europe: Recalibrating the terms of engagement' at Sorbonne University Paris, where he called for an equal partnership on all grounds between Southeast Asia and Europe. Macron said France's ties with Malaysia and Asean were getting stronger, adding that his visit to Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore in May this year was an indication of the revival. 'In Southeast Asia, I reiterated our support for regional electricity connectivity, including support for civil nuclear energy,' he added. Meanwhile, Anwar expressed hope that the French President would visit Malaysia after attending the 20th Francophonie Summit in Cambodia next year. He said bilateral ties between the countries were getting stronger with the commitment shown by the French government under Macron's leadership. 'Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia are buying more planes. And Sarawak is also strengthening its own airline by collaborating with France,' said Anwar, who is also the Finance Minister. At the same time, he expressed hope that French companies would continue to manufacture aeroplane parts in Malaysia. In the energy sector, Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) is working with partners from France in its joint ventures in Latin America and Africa. Earlier in the day, AirAsia signed an agreement to buy US$12.25 billion (RM51.72 billion) worth of long-range Airbus 321XLR aircraft, with deliveries confirmed by 2028. The Prime Minister also witnessed the memorandum of understanding exchange between 3P Capital Advisers and Ardian, a leading private investment firm from France, for the exploration of investment opportunities in the private markets. The private sector initiative can give Malaysians a wider access to alternative investments, Anwar said. Meanwhile, during his meeting with Imerys, an industrial mineral processing company that has been operating in Malaysia for over 25 years, Anwar said the company expressed its commitment to expand operations and support the development of a high-value, environmentally-friendly manufacturing sector in the country. In addition, Anwar held a meeting with the management of Arkema, a global leader in specialty chemicals, which is evaluating potential new investments in Malaysia. Anwar was accompanied on this visit by Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan, Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu, Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin, and Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz. Also joining the delegation was Deputy Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir. France remains one of Malaysia's top five trading partners within the European Union. In 2024, bilateral trade totalled RM15.95 billion (US$3.63 billion), with RM6.26 billion (US$1.49 billion) recorded between January and May this year. From France, Anwar heads to Brazil to attend the 17th BRICS Leaders' Summit from July 5 to 7. — Bernama
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
PM Anwar to champion multilateralism at BRICS Summit in Brazil
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is set to highlight the critical role of multilateralism and Malaysia's dedication to fostering a balanced, inclusive world order at the 17th BRICS Leaders' Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The summit, scheduled for July 6-7, will see Anwar addressing key global challenges, including economic cooperation, artificial intelligence governance, and climate action. Acting Head of Mission at the Malaysian embassy in Brasilia, Datuk Mohammad Ali Selamat, confirmed that Anwar will deliver two key statements during the summit. The first, titled 'Strengthening Multilateralism, Economic-Financial Affairs and Artificial Intelligence,' will be presented during the session for BRICS partner countries on Sunday. The second, focusing on 'Environment, COP30 and Global Health,' will be delivered on Monday. Mohammad Ali noted that these interventions align with Malaysia's commitment to amplifying the voices of developing nations within global platforms. 'The Prime Minister will stress the need for constructive dialogue and inclusive collaboration, as BRICS serves as a crucial platform for addressing shared challenges like sustainable development and global stability,' he said. Anwar's participation follows his official visit to France and marks his second trip to Brazil, having previously attended the G20 Summit as a guest last year. Both visits were at the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. As ASEAN Chair for 2025, Malaysia aims to strengthen ties between ASEAN and BRICS to enhance regional economic cooperation. The summit's theme, 'Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance,' resonates with Malaysia's priorities, including digital transformation, AI governance, and equitable trade. Malaysia officially became a BRICS Partner Country on January 1 this year, joining other nations such as Belarus, Bolivia, and Thailand. The BRICS bloc, initially comprising Brazil, Russia, India, and China, has expanded to include South Africa, Egypt, Iran, and the UAE, among others. During his visit, Anwar is also scheduled to meet with Brazil's aerospace giant Embraer, underscoring potential economic collaborations. His delegation includes Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz. Bilateral trade between Malaysia and Brazil has grown significantly, reaching RM20.35 billion in 2024, a 14.6% increase from the previous year. Key Malaysian exports include electrical and electronic products, rubber goods, and palm oil-based items, while imports from Brazil feature metalliferous ores, halal meat, and crude petroleum. 'Brazil remains a vital trading partner in Latin America, particularly for E&E and rubber products. Our collaboration in food security and green energy will also be a focus,' Mohammad Ali added. Rio de Janeiro, the host city, is famed for its scenic landmarks, vibrant culture, and the world-renowned Carnaval, making it a fitting backdrop for discussions on global cooperation. -BERNAMA
