ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak was found guilty on Friday of all 21 counts of money laundering related to the country&#39;s 1MDB graft scandal, which saw billions plundered from the now-defunct sovereign wealth fund.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;This court finds the accused guilty of all 21 charges and convicts the accused accordingly,&quot; Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah said. His conviction is likely to heap years onto the six-year term he is already serving for a separate case related to the 1MDB fund.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Presiding Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah convicted the 72-year-old former leader on Friday on all four counts of abuse of power. Najib will also face a verdict on 21 counts of money laundering linked to the fund, which sparked probes in several countries, from Singapore to the United States.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;While Najib, the son of one of the country&#39;s founding fathers, was groomed for leadership from a young age, he experienced a spectacular fall from power as public anger mounted over the corruption scandal.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Since Najib&#39;s 2018 election loss, investigations under successive governments have ensnared him and wife Rosmah Mansor in graft allegations.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Prosecutors say Najib abused his positions as prime minister, finance minister and 1MDB advisory board chairman to move large amounts of money from the fund into his personal accounts more than a decade ago.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;According to investigators, proceeds from the state fund were used to bankroll high-end real estate, a luxury yacht and precious artworks.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Friday&#39;s hearing opened around 9:00 am local time before the Kuala Lumpur High Court in the country&#39;s administrative capital of Putrajaya.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Presiding Judge Sequerah started reading a lengthy verdict, before breaking for Friday afternoon prayers, with the hearing resuming at 3:00 pm local time. &#39;Unmeritorious&#39; During the morning reading, Judge Sequerah dismissed several of the defense lawyers&#39; arguments, including that Najib was duped by his close associate, the shadowy businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;The evidence clearly points to the fact that this was no coincidence but was evident of a relationship in which Jho Low operated as a proxy or agent of the accused (Najib) with regard to the running of the affairs of 1MDB,&quot; Sequerah said.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;The defense&#39;s argument that Najib was &quot;misled and duped by management and by Jho Low is unmeritorious&quot;, the judge said.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Low, who is currently on the run, is seen as the mastermind behind the scheme to plunder the country&#39;s investment vehicle.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Sequerah also dismissed arguments that the money flowing into Najib&#39;s accounts was &quot;donations&quot; from Middle East funders, calling it a &quot;tale that surpassed even those from the Arabian Nights&quot;.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;The prosecution presented bank records, testimony from over 50 witnesses and documentary evidence.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Najib &quot;paints himself as a victim of rogue subordinates, when in truth, he was the single most powerful decision-maker&quot;, deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib told the court during closing arguments.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;The accused wielded absolute financial, executive and political control,&quot; he said. &#39;No fair trial&#39; Najib&#39;s lawyers have previously said the politician was unaware that 1MDB&#39;s management was working hand in glove with Low to siphon large amounts of money from the fund, ostensibly established to foster economic growth in Malaysia.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Najib&#39;s lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, last week told journalists his client &quot;never got a fair trial&quot;.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;He again blamed Low for the scandal, which dented Malaysia&#39;s image abroad.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Najib has apologized for allowing the 1MDB scandal to happen during his tenure, but he maintains he knew nothing about illegal transfers from the fund.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;His legal battle was dealt a blow on Monday after he lost a bid to serve the remainder of his current jail term at home rather than the Kajang Prison outside Kuala Lumpur.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Each count of abuse of power is punishable by up to 20 years in jail and a fine of up to five times the amount of the bribe.

Asia

​His conviction is likely to heap years onto the six-year term he is already serving for a separate case related to the 1MDB fund.

Former Malaysian PM found guilty on all 21 counts of money laundering

KUALA LUMPUR: The search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will resume at the end of December, Malaysia&#39;s transport ministry said on Wednesday, more than a decade after the plane disappeared.&nbsp;The Boeing 777 carrying 239 people vanished from radar screens on March 8, 2014, while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing in one of aviation&#39;s greatest enduring mysteries.&nbsp;Two-thirds of the passengers were Chinese, while the others included Malaysians, Indonesians and Australians, as well as Indian, American, Dutch and French nationals.&nbsp;Despite the largest search in aviation history, the plane has not been found.&nbsp;Kuala Lumpur said in a statement it &quot;wishes to update that the deep-sea search for (the) missing wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 will be resuming on 30 December 2025.&quot;&nbsp;Maritime exploration firm Ocean Infinity will be conducting the search &quot;in (a) targeted area assessed to have the highest probability of locating the aircraft,&quot; the ministry said.&nbsp;The latest search in the southern Indian Ocean was suspended in April as it was &quot;not the season.&quot;&nbsp;It was conducted on the &quot;no find, no fee&quot; principle as Ocean Infinity&#39;s previous search, with the government only paying out if the firm finds the aircraft.&nbsp;Ocean Infinity, based in Britain and the United States, led an unsuccessful hunt in 2018, before agreeing to launch a new search this year.&nbsp;An initial Australia-led search covered 120,000 square kilometers (46,300 square miles) in the Indian Ocean over three years but found hardly any trace of the plane other than a few pieces of debris.&nbsp;The ministry said the latest development underscores its commitment in &quot;providing closure to the families affected by the tragedy.&quot;&nbsp;Relatives of the victims had voiced hope in February that a new search could finally bring some answers.&nbsp;When contacted by AFP, relatives of victims were not immediately available for comment.&nbsp;Aviation mysteryThe plane&#39;s disappearance has long been the subject of theories &mdash; ranging from the credible to outlandish &mdash; including that veteran pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah had gone rogue.&nbsp;A final report into the tragedy released in 2018 pointed to failings by air traffic control and said the course of the plane was changed manually.&nbsp;Investigators said in the 495-page report that they still did not know why the plane vanished and refused to rule out that someone other than the pilots had diverted the jet.&nbsp;Relatives of passengers lost on the flight have continued to demand answers from Malaysian authorities.&nbsp;Family members of Chinese passengers gathered in Beijing outside government offices and the Malaysian embassy in March on the 11th anniversary of the flight&#39;s disappearance.&nbsp;Attendees of the gathering shouted, &quot;Give us back our loved ones,&quot; with some holding placards asking, &quot;When will the 11 years of waiting and torment end?&quot;

The search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will resume at the end of December, more than a decade after the plane disappeared.

Malaysia says search for long-missing flight MH370 to resume

PADANG: Indonesian and Thai authorities raced on Sunday to clear debris and find hundreds of missing people as the death toll from devastating floods and landslides across Southeast Asia topped 600.&nbsp;Heavy monsoon rain overwhelmed swaths of Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia this week, leaving thousands of people stranded without shelter or critical supplies.&nbsp;At least two areas of Indonesia&#39;s worst-affected Sumatra island were still unreachable on Sunday, and authorities said they had deployed two warships from Jakarta to deliver aid.&nbsp;Central Tapanuli and Sibolga city &quot;require full attention due to being isolated&quot;, National Disaster agency head Suharyanto said in a statement, adding that the ships were expected in Sibolga on Monday.&nbsp;The death toll in Indonesia rose to 442, while 402 were still missing, according to a tally published on Sunday by the disaster authority.&nbsp;It said at least 646 people had been injured.&nbsp;In Sungai Nyalo village, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) from West Sumatra&#39;s capital Padang, floodwaters had mostly receded on Sunday, leaving homes, vehicles and crops coated in thick grey mud.&nbsp;Authorities had not yet begun clearing roads, residents told AFP, and no outside assistance had arrived.&nbsp;&quot;Most villagers chose to stay; they didn&#39;t want to leave their houses behind,&quot; said Idris, 55, who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name.&nbsp;Across the island towards the north coast, an endangered Sumatran elephant lay buried in thick mud and debris near damaged buildings in Meureudu town.&nbsp;&nbsp;Public criticismIn Thailand, where at least 162 people were killed in one of the worst floods in a decade, authorities continued to deliver aid and clear the damage.&nbsp;Relief measures rolled out by the Thai government include compensation of up to two million baht ($62,000) for households that lost family members.&nbsp;However, there has been growing public criticism of Thailand&#39;s flood response, and two local officials have been suspended over their alleged failures.&nbsp;Two people were killed in Malaysia after floods left stretches of northern Perlis state underwater.&nbsp;The annual monsoon season, typically between June and September, often brings heavy rain, triggering landslides and flash floods.&nbsp;A tropical storm has exacerbated conditions, and the tolls in Indonesia and Thailand rank among the highest in floods in those countries in recent years.&nbsp;Climate change has affected storm patterns, including the duration and intensity of the season, leading to heavier rainfall, flash flooding and stronger wind gusts.

Deadly monsoon floods and landslides across Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia have killed over 600 people, left hundreds missing, isolated communities, and drawn criticism of disaster responses, with climate change worsening storm intensity and rainfall.

Indonesia, Thailand race to find missing as flooding toll tops 600

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia says it is planning to block children under 16 from signing up to social media accounts next year, in a move to tighten access over child-safety concerns. Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil said Sunday the government was looking at how Australia and other countries dealt with imposing online age restrictions. &ldquo;We hope that by next year, social media platforms will comply with the government&#39;s decision to bar those under 16 from opening social media accounts,&rdquo; Fahmi said in a video posted online by Malaysian daily The Star. &ldquo;So I believe ... if the government, government agencies and parents each play their respective roles, we can ensure that the internet in Malaysia is not just fast ...but most importantly, safe, especially for children and families,&rdquo; he added. Rising cybercrime&nbsp;Malaysia in recent years has tightened its oversight of social media services in an attempt to combat rising cybercrime. This includes requiring platforms and messaging services with more than eight million users in the country to obtain a license under new regulations that took effect in January. Several MPs in October backed the government&#39;s plan to ban under-16s, calling for proper mechanisms to verify the ages of users when they register for accounts. A survey by Ipsos Malaysia Education Monitor 2025 released by local media in September, revealed that 72% of respondents in Malaysia agreed that the use of social media should be restricted among children. New Zealand to introduce bill&nbsp;In Australia, social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, will be forced to remove users under the age of 16 from December 10 onwards or face hefty fines. New Zealand&#39;s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will also introduce a similar bill to restrict children&#39;s social media use. And the Dutch government advised parents this year to forbid children under 15 from using social media apps such as TikTok and Snapchat. Meanwhile, five EU countries -- Denmark, France, Greece, Italy and Spain -- are testing an app aimed at preventing children from accessing harmful content online by checking users&#39; ages.

Viral

The country in recent years has tightened its oversight of social media services in an attempt to combat rising cybercrime; New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will also introduce a bill to restrict children's social media use.

Malaysia mulls social media ban for under-16s

KUALA LAMPUR: Malaysian authorities have recovered at least seven bodies after a boat carrying migrants capsized near the Thai border, a maritime agency official said on Sunday. Officials believe the boat was carrying undocumented migrants who departed from Myanmar, part of a group of at least 300 people that had split between several vessels. The boat that capsized near Thailand&#39;s Tarutao Island and just north of Malaysia&#39;s island resort of Langkawi was carrying some 90 people, Kedah state police chief Adzli Abu Shah told Malaysian media. Romli Mustafa, director of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency in the northern states of Kedah and Perlis, said in a statement that three survivors were found on Sunday in the waters around Langkawi as well as six bodies, taking the overall death toll to seven. At least 13 people have been rescued alive. Romli said the bodies recovered Sunday were of a girl and five women, without disclosing their nationality or ethnicity. A body found on Saturday is believed to be of a woman from Myanmar&#39;s persecuted Rohingya minority, Adzli told the Bernama national news agency. The search and rescue effort ended for the day and will resume on Monday, Romli added, saying it was possible more survivors or victims could be found at sea. The boat likely went down three days ago, according to the state police chief. Two other vessels, believed to be carrying some of the group of 300 migrants who had departed from Myanmar, have also been reported missing, Adzli was quoted as saying by the Free Malaysia Today news website. He said preliminary investigations showed that the group boarded a large vessel that carried them into waters close to Malaysia. &quot;As they neared the border they were instructed to transfer onto three smaller boats, each carrying around 100 people,&quot; he told Bernama. &quot;We have requested the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and the Marine Police to launch search and rescue operations and to look for the other missing boats,&quot; Adzli said, quoted by the New Straits Times. The Malaysian police force did not respond to AFP&#39;s requests for comment. Relatively affluent Malaysia is home to millions of migrants from poorer parts of Asia, many of them undocumented, working in industries including construction and agriculture. But the crossings, facilitated by human trafficking syndicates, are often hazardous, leading to boats capsizing. &quot;Cross-border syndicates are now increasingly active in exploiting migrants by making them victims of human trafficking using high-risk sea routes,&quot; Romli said. Syndicates charge up to $3,500 per person for passage into the country, Malaysian media said. In one of the worst months, in December 2021, more than 20 migrants drowned in several incidents off the Malaysian coast.

At least seven migrants, mostly women and a child, died after a boat from Myanmar capsized near Malaysia’s Langkawi Island. Authorities rescued survivors and continue searching for missing vessels linked to suspected human trafficking syndicates.

Migrant shipwreck off Malaysia kills at least seven

KUALA LUMPUR: At least one woman drowned and 10 people were rescued after a boat carrying around 90 undocumented migrants sank near the Malaysian-Thai border, Malaysian police said Sunday. &quot;A boat carrying 90 people is believed to have capsized,&quot; three days ago, Kedah police chief Adzli Abu Shah told local media, adding two other boats carrying a similar number of passengers have also been reported missing. Rescue operations were underway to locate survivors, he added. The incident is believed to have happened near Tarutao Island, just north of the popular Malaysian resort island of Langkawi, the country&#39;s maritime authority said. &quot;So far, 11 people including one body have been found,&quot; Romli Mustafa, Kedah state maritime director said. There was a possibility of more victims being found at sea, he added. Relatively affluent Malaysia is home to millions of migrants from poorer parts of Asia, many of them undocumented, working in industries including construction and agriculture. But the crossings, facilitated by human trafficking syndicates, are often hazardous leading to boats capsizing. In one of the worst months, in December 2021, more than 20 migrants drowned in several capsizing incidents off the Malaysian coastline.

The incident is believed to have happened near Tarutao Island, just north of the popular Malaysian resort island of Langkawi, the country's maritime authority said.

One dead, 10 rescued after boat with 90 migrants sinks: Malaysia police

Web Desk

KUALA LUMPUR: US President Donald Trump on Sunday praised Pakistan&rsquo;s top leadership, describing Field Marshal Asim Munir as a &ldquo;good man&rdquo; and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as a &ldquo;great leader&rdquo; during his address at the ASEAN Summit 2025 in Malaysia. Trump said he had received reports of possible tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, but credited the Pakistani leadership for handling the situation swiftly and peacefully.&nbsp;&quot;I will solve the Pakistan and Afghanistan conflict very quickly,&quot; he added. &ldquo;I am a proponent of peace across the world,&rdquo; Trump said, claiming to have helped halt eight wars so far. &ldquo;I stopped wars through trade,&rdquo; he added, emphasizing that the United States prefers trade over conflict. Earlier, Trump witnessed the signing of an expanded ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia following recent deadly border clashes.&nbsp; Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet signed the accord at a ceremony themed &ldquo;Delivering Peace,&rdquo; building on a truce reached three months earlier. &ldquo;This declaration, if fully implemented, will provide the building blocks for lasting peace,&rdquo; Hun Manet said, noting that border communities had suffered greatly from past hostilities. Trump also attended a series of trade discussions on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit, where he signed new trade and mineral cooperation deals with both Thailand and Cambodia.

US President Donald Trump speaks during the 13th ASEAN - United States Summit as part of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on October 26, 2025. (Photo by Vincent Thian / POOL / AFP)

Foreign Affairs

At ASEAN summit, US president calls Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif a “great leader” and Field Marshal Asim Munir “good man,” saying he can resolve Islamabad, Kabul tensions “very quickly” soon

Trump praises Pakistani leadership, vows to resolve Pakistan-Afghanistan tensions ‘very quickly’

KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore&rsquo;s prison hanged a Malaysian drug trafficker Wednesday, marking the second execution in two weeks and raising the number of executions in the city-state to 12 this year despite pressure to abolish the death penalty. A Singapore anti-death penalty activist, Kirsten Han, confirmed that 38-year-old Pannir Selvam Pranthaman was executed at Changi Prison. Han, who is accompanying his family, said they have collected Pannir&rsquo;s belongings from the prison. Pannir was arrested in 2014 for having 52 grams (about 1.8 ounces) of heroin and sentenced to death in 2017. He was originally scheduled for execution in February but received a stay of execution due to pending legal matters. Malaysian police had interviewed Pannir on Sept. 27 when lawyers said he provided information about the people who had handed him the drugs. It raised hopes his execution would be postponed again for a new investigation. But Malaysia&rsquo;s home ministry said on Tuesday that Pannir didn&rsquo;t provide any new leads for police to conduct further probes. His execution came after the court rejected his final appeal and he failed to secure a presidential clemency. It marked the second execution in two weeks following that of fellow Malaysian Datchinamurthy Kataiah on Sept. 25. Pannir was the fourth Malaysian and 12th person to be executed so far this year in Singapore, the majority of those for drug-related offenses, activists said. This was up from nine executions for the whole of 2024. More than 40 people remain on death row in the city-state. &ldquo;It is indefensible that Singapore continues to cruelly pursue more executions in the name of drug control,&rdquo; Amnesty International&rsquo;s death penalty adviser Chiara Sangiorgio said in a statement Wednesday. &ldquo; Yet there is no evidence that the death penalty has a unique deterrent effect or that it has any impact on the use and availability of drugs.&rdquo; Singapore&rsquo;s strict drug laws mandate the death penalty for anyone caught carrying more than 15 grams of heroin or 500 grams of cannabis. Critics say the law only targets low-level traffickers and couriers. But Singapore&#39;s government defends it as vital for public safety. Pannir&rsquo;s family, his lawyers and various rights groups noted the Singapore court had found he was merely a courier transporting the substance. Pannir had said he didn&rsquo;t know he was carrying drugs. Still, the court had to hand down the death sentence after prosecutors refused to issue Pannir a certificate of substantive assistance vouching that he helped their investigation, which would have spared his life, they said. Pannir, the third of six children, was the son of a church pastor who worked as a lorry driver to make ends meet, activists said. He loved music and played in a church band growing up. In prison, Pannir penned letters, songs and poems about the anguish of being on death row and hopes of a second chance. His family has shared some of his songs, which were sung by several Malaysian singers.

Singapore executed Malaysian Pannir Selvam Pranthaman for drug trafficking, marking its 12th execution in 2025. Despite appeals and activism, his clemency was denied, highlighting ongoing controversy over Singapore’s strict drug laws.

12th execution in Singapore: Malaysian drug trafficker hanged

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Malaysia have agreed to enhance collaboration in the digital economy and information technology sectors, aiming to boost bilateral trade, investment, and innovation, officials said on Monday. Pakistan&rsquo;s Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan met Malaysia&rsquo;s Minister for Digital,<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" id="isPasted">&nbsp;YB Tuan Gobind Singh Deo, in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the Pakistan-Malaysia Business and Investment Conference, where both sides underscored the growing significance of digital transformation in shaping global commerce. According to a statement issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the two ministers discussed expanding e-commerce cooperation, improving cross-border digital services, and collaborating in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), 5G, and cybersecurity. They also welcomed the recent meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Malaysian Prime Minister Dato&rsquo; Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which reaffirmed a shared commitment to deepen economic and technological ties. Both ministers hailed the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Pakistan Software Houses Association (P@SHA) and Malaysia&rsquo;s National Tech Association (PIKOM), calling it a significant step toward promoting digital trade partnerships, skill development, and innovation ecosystems. &ldquo;The collaboration between our tech industries will open new opportunities for businesses and professionals in both countries,&rdquo; the Pakistani commerce minister said after the meeting. In a symbolic gesture of digital partnership, the two ministers jointly inaugurated the TechConnect Conference and delivered keynote addresses to representatives from leading and emerging tech companies of both nations. The meeting reflects Pakistan and Malaysia&rsquo;s shared vision of harnessing technology to drive economic growth, enhance connectivity, and foster regional cooperation in the fast-evolving digital landscape.

During talks in Kuala Lumpur, Pakistan and Malaysia agreed to enhance collaboration in e-commerce, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies like AI and 5G, aiming to strengthen digital trade, innovation, and investment between the two countries.

Pakistan, Malaysia agree to deepen cooperation in digital and IT sectors

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim have pledged to strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation on trade, defense, and global issues. This was said in a joint statement released on Tuesday by Pakistan&rsquo;s High Commission in Malaysia at the conclusion of Sharif&rsquo;s three-day visit to Malaysia.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1975420407932166220&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=29ec884f4e99fd027fdfa45f88042cebcf603b2d&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 648px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="1975420407932166220"></iframe></div></div>The statement said the two leaders held a bilateral meeting on 6 October 2025 and discussed Malaysia-Pakistan ties and exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. They agreed to reconvene, at a mutually convenient time, the Joint Commission Meeting at the level of the foreign minister, the statement said. Trade and investment&nbsp;Both leaders recognized the vast potential in trade and investment, and expressed satisfaction with ongoing efforts to enhance bilateral trade and investment. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to promoting balanced and sustainable economic ties through enhanced market access, business facilitation, and the effective utilization of the Malaysia&ndash;Pakistan Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (MPCEPA), the statement said. Malaysia have expressed its intention to expand palm oil exports to Pakistan, in line with the increasing demand within Pakistan&rsquo;s food processing and manufacturing sectors. The two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in the field of halal. They agreed to explore joint research, innovation, and the development of sustainable agricultural production methods. The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the strong ongoing defense collaboration under the purview of the Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) platform, since its establishment in 1997. Defense cooperation&nbsp;Both sides also agreed to further deepen the bilateral defense cooperation, particularly in the field of defense science, technology, and industry, through knowledge and technology transfer. The two leaders welcomed further cooperation in education, including technical and vocational training, and the enhancement of institutional partnerships. The leaders agreed to explore collaboration in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices.&nbsp;The leaders agreed to enhance tourism promotion and cultural exchanges from both sides. The leaders reaffirmed their support for enhanced collaboration in science, technology, and innovation (STI), including cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence and digital transformation. The leaders noted the active cooperation on key issues within the framework of international organisations, particularly the United Nations (UN) and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Developing-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation (D-8) and reaffirmed their commitment towards mutual support for each other&#39;s initiatives and candidatures to the international bodies. Palestinian statehood&nbsp;Both leaders reiterated their shared commitment to strengthening the solidarity of the Muslim Ummah and upholding the true values of Islam. The two leaders also commended the international community&rsquo;s efforts to find pragmatic measures in resolving the question of granting a Palestinian statehood. They agreed that disputes must be resolved through peaceful means in accordance with international law including the UN Charter, and relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Combating Islamophobia&nbsp;The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan and a sustainable future for its people.&nbsp; They emphasized the importance of continued engagement with the interim Afghan authorities, particularly for combating terrorism, to prevent the use of Afghan soil against other countries. They condemned all forms of Islamophobia, xenophobia and incitement to violence, and reaffirmed their call upon the international community to undertake concerted action to combat intolerance. Prime Minister Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s strong support for Malaysia&rsquo;s ASEAN chairmanship and expressed confidence in Malaysia&rsquo;s leadership in steering ASEAN towards deeper regional integration, peace, and prosperity. Sharif expressed deep appreciation and sincere gratitude to Prime Minister Ibrahim and the Government of Malaysia for the warm welcome and gracious hospitality extended to him and his delegation during the visit, the joint statement said.

During his first official visit to Malaysia from 5–7 October 2025, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim reaffirmed their strategic partnership, committing to enhanced cooperation across trade, defense, halal industry, energy, and global issues including support for Palestine and combating Islamophobia.

Articles tagged with "Malaysia"