KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia remains committed to elevating ties with Canada, encompassing strategic sectors such as trade and investment, defence cooperation, clean energy, digital transformation and emerging technologies.
This was conveyed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is currently on an official visit to France, to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during a phone call, during which he also congratulated Carney on his Liberal Party’s recent victory in Canada’s Federal Election.
"I welcome PETRONAS’ continued involvement in the LNG Canada project, which stands as a strong symbol of energy cooperation between the two countries and has the potential to catalyse future green and energy transition initiatives," he said.
The Prime Minister noted that as members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Malaysia and Canada share a commitment to upholding the principles of free, open and multilateral trade that is fair and inclusive.
Anwar also expressed hope that Canada would reconsider its visa exemption policy for Malaysian citizens, in line with the treatment granted to other Commonwealth countries, in order to strengthen people-to-people ties and expand multilateral exchanges.
"We also underscored the importance of enhancing the Asean-Canada Strategic Partnership and expressed hope that negotiations on the Asean-Canada Free Trade Agreement can be concluded as soon as possible for mutual benefit," he added.
The Prime Minister also extended an invitation to Carney to make an official visit to Malaysia soon to further strengthen the friendship between both nations. - Bernama
