SEPANG: The King of Jordan, King Abdullah II, has departed Malaysia after concluding a two-day state visit aimed at deepening defence cooperation, expanding trade and strengthening longstanding bilateral ties between the two countries.
The special aircraft carrying the King and his entourage took off from the Bunga Raya Complex (BRC) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 1.40pm on Monday (Oct 12).
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khalid Nordin were present to bid farewell.
Also present were Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
Prior to departure, King Abdullah granted an audience to Anwar at the BRC, where both leaders held discussions on strengthening Malaysia-Jordan bilateral cooperation, particularly in education, trade and cooperation on regional and international concerns.
Earlier Monday morning, the Jordanian monarch also held a four-eyed meeting with His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, at Istana Negara, during which he called for stronger defence cooperation between Malaysia and Jordan, including in military technology, drone and counter-drone warfare, as both countries seek to adapt to evolving security challenges.
His Majesty said Malaysia's capabilities in industry, intelligence and talent development could complement Jordan's efforts to modernise its armed forces, opening up opportunities to strengthen defence ties between the two countries.
The monarch also highlighted the longstanding intelligence relationship between the two countries and expressed hope that cooperation in the area could be further enhanced.
Meanwhile, Sultan Ibrahim expressed confidence that Malaysia and Jordan would further strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, education and other fields for the mutual benefit of their people.
The Malaysian King said the longstanding friendship between the two countries was underpinned by shared values, mutual respect and a commitment to preserving their respective royal institutions and heritage.
The event at Istana Negara also included a special investiture ceremony where Sultan Ibrahim conferred the Darjah Utama Seri Mahkota Negara (DMN) on King Abdullah and received the Order of Al Hussein Ibn Ali, the Kingdom of Jordan's highest civilian honour, in return.
The DMN is conferred on an honorary basis upon kings, sultans, queens, princes, princesses and foreign heads of state, while the Order of Al Hussein Ibn Ali is awarded to kings, princes and heads of state, in recognition of their standing.
The visit came as the two countries marked more than six decades of diplomatic relations, established in 1965. It was Abdullah's second state visit to Malaysia, following his previous visit in May 2008.
Education remains a cornerstone of bilateral relations, with more than 1,490 Jordanian students currently pursuing their studies at Malaysian higher education institutions.
On the economic front, bilateral trade between Malaysia and Jordan reached RM993.4 million in 2025, an increase of 15.2% from 2024. Trade continued its positive momentum from January to August 2026, growing by 8% to RM740.7mil compared with the corresponding period in 2025. – Bernama
