PETALING JAYA: Malaysia and Turkiye are exploring opportunities for defence cooperation as part of efforts to strengthen strategic trade and investment ties between the two countries, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Deputy Prime Minister said this was among the matters raised during a high-level policy dialogue with analysts and researchers from the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research, a leading Turkish think-tank.
Among the proposals discussed was the development of a ship maintenance, repair and overhaul hub, he added.
Ahmad Zahid, who concluded a four-day working visit to Turkiye on Saturday, said the talks also covered the potential to strengthen Asean-Turkiye relations, defence technology transfer, human capital development and expanded policy research cooperation between institutions in both countries.
The dialogue also examined global geopolitical developments, regional security, defence cooperation and the roles of Malaysia and Turkiye in responding to changes in the international landscape.
“In an increasingly complex and uncertain world, countries cannot simply remain observers of geopolitical changes.
“Instead, they must be able to anticipate these changes, safeguard their national interests and chart their own course,” Ahmad Zahid said in a statement.
He added that Malaysia-Turkiye relations must continue to be strengthened, not only through trade and investment but also through the sharing of knowledge, expertise and strategic thinking that could deliver long-term benefits to both countries.
“In a changing world, a country’s strength lies not only in what it possesses, but also in the wisdom with which it shapes its future,” he said.
He added that during the visit, he witnessed the exchange of Letters of Cooperation between Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia with Turkish universities, Sabanci University and Yildiz Technical University (YTU).
He said the collaboration with Sabanci University focuses on developing joint academic programmes, PhD-level co-supervision and research in advanced materials, digital technology and energy.
Meanwhile, the collaboration between UniKL Malaysian Institute of Marine Engineering Technology and YTU would open up wider opportunities in marine engineering, ship design and maritime technology research, he added.
Ahmad Zahid said Mara’s educational cooperation with Turkiye continues to yield positive progress, with 17 Mara sponsored students currently pursuing their studies at Sabanci University in fields including engineering, mechatronics and data science.
“This collaboration is more than just an exchange of documents.
“It is a strategic step towards expanding access to internationally recognised education, strengthening local research capabilities and developing talent equipped to meet the needs of future industries,” he said.
