Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said they wanted to deepen defense industry cooperation with Türkiye. Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Hamidi said defense cooperation between the two countries demonstrated mutual trust and emphasized that the ANKA unmanned aerial vehicle program and the Littoral Mission Ship Phase 2 (Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2) project formed a strong foundation for a long-term defense partnership.
Asked whether he saw potential for deeper defense cooperation between the two countries, Hamidi replied, "Yes, I see great potential. Türkiye's expertise in defense technologies complements Malaysia's strength in electronics and high-tech manufacturing."
Joint production first, joint technology next
Hamidi, a former defense minister, said modern military systems consisted of more than platforms alone and had to be supported by qualified personnel, technical expertise and reliable maintenance infrastructure. He proposed establishing partnerships in component production, maintenance and systems integration in the first phase, adding that the countries could move to jointly developing technology when conditions were in place. He also said Malaysia aimed to develop the capacity to develop and maintain these technologies.
$10 billion trade target
"Our $10 billion bilateral trade target between Malaysia and Türkiye reflects this vision," Hamidi said, adding that the target should be supported by joint investments in advanced manufacturing, electronics, aviation, digital services and the halal industry. Hamidi said Malaysia welcomed Türkiye's efforts to deepen its relations with ASEAN and noted that they aimed to complete the ASEAN-Türkiye Action Plan with concrete projects by mid-2027. He added that they wanted more Turkish tourists to visit Malaysia.
Call for joint coordination on Gaza
Emphasizing the great importance of the Gaza issue for the Malaysian people, Hamidi said, "Our priority should be to work to stop the suffering in Gaza." He said Malaysia and Türkiye could strengthen coordination on medical aid, humanitarian assistance and reconstruction efforts under the framework of the UN and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Hamidi added that his country continued to support an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Hamidi was also received by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Istanbul while attending the TRT World Forum 2026.
Photo: AA
