ISTANBUL, 5 November 2026 (The Capital Post) – Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi arrived in Istanbul on Thursday for a four-day working visit to Turkiye, where he is scheduled to participate in the TRT World Forum 2026 and hold a series of bilateral engagements.
The special aircraft carrying Ahmad Zahid and his wife, Datin Seri Hamidah Khamis, landed at Istanbul International Airport at 3.30 am local time (8.30 am Malaysian time).
They were welcomed upon arrival by Malaysia’s Ambassador to Turkiye, Adlan Mohd Shaffieq.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of TRT World Forum 2026 at the Istanbul Congress Centre on Friday, which will be officiated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He is also expected to receive a courtesy call from Turkiye’s Council of Higher Education President Prof Dr Erol Ozvar before participating in the forum as a panellist for a session titled “Turkiye From Regional Power to Multi-Regional Actor”.
The forum, themed “A World Without a Center: Who Leads When The Rules Run Out?”, brings together political leaders, policymakers, academics, media practitioners and civil society representatives to discuss major global developments.
Among prominent Malaysian figures who have previously participated in the forum are Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in 2018 and 2019, former International Trade and Industry Minister Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz in 2019, and public health expert Prof Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood in 2020.
-Advertisement-
On 7 November, Ahmad Zahid is scheduled to deliver a lecture at Ibn Haldun University and participate in an engagement session with the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), focusing on current geopolitical and geoeconomic issues.
He is also expected to meet Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri and witness the signing of Letters of Collaboration (LOC) between Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), Sabanci University and Yildiz Technical University.
The document exchange ceremony will also be attended by 17 MARA-sponsored Malaysian students currently pursuing their studies in Turkiye.
Malaysia and Turkiye established diplomatic relations on 17 June 1964 and have since maintained cooperation across various sectors, including politics, trade, economics and education.
Bilateral trade between the two countries has reached US$5.6 billion, with both nations agreeing in January 2026 to increase trade to US$10 billion within five years.
The working visit, which concludes on 8 November, comes as Malaysia and Turkiye seek to expand economic cooperation, strengthen educational partnerships and deepen bilateral relations – The Capital Post
