ISTANBUL: The conflict and humanitarian crisis in Gaza will be among the key issues Malaysia will raise at the TRT World Forum 2026 Friday (Nov 6), says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the situation in Gaza remained unresolved, with reports of continued bombings raising concerns over efforts to end the conflict.
"Turkiye, which has diplomatic relations with Israel, is in a position to influence not only Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but also United States President Donald Trump.
"Therefore, Turkiye has an important role to play in helping find a solution to the Palestinian issue, not only on behalf of Muslim countries but also on humanitarian grounds," he told Malaysian media after a pre-meeting with Malaysian representatives and delegation officials in conjunction with his working visit to Turkiye.
Ahmad Zahid arrived in Istanbul at 3.30am local time (8.30am Malaysian time) Thursday (Nov 5) for a four-day working visit to Turkiye until Nov 8, in conjunction with his participation in the TRT World Forum 2026 on Friday.
In a separate development, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said Malaysia saw significant potential to expand trade ties with Turkiye, particularly in the procurement of defence and security equipment.
"Turkiye's expertise in advanced defence technology, coupled with its membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), presents opportunities for Malaysia not only to acquire such equipment but also to benefit from technology transfers and expertise sharing," he said.
Malaysia and Turkiye established formal diplomatic relations on June 17, 1964, and have since maintained close strategic cooperation in various sectors, including politics, the economy, trade and education.
Bilateral trade between the two countries currently stands at US$5.6bil, with both countries agreeing in January 2026 to increase the figure to US$10bil within the next five years.
The target reflects their commitment to strengthening economic ties, with Malaysia among Turkiye's key trading partners in Southeast Asia, alongside Singapore. - Bernama
