ISTANBUL — Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, recently sat down with Türkiye’s Honorary Consul in Bursa, Datuk Cevdet Sefer, to chart new avenues of bilateral economic and industrial cooperation.

Held in Istanbul, the bilateral discussions touched on strategic high-value sectors, ranging from maritime development to artificial intelligence and Islamic finance.

Advancing Maritime Capabilities in Perak

A primary focus of the meeting was the prospective establishment of a ship maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) center in Bagan Datuk, Perak. Ahmad Zahid highlighted Malaysia's growing footprint in the shipping sector, noting that the project has already drawn international interest, with Turkish involvement being a key highlight.

To bolster this maritime initiative, the University of Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Institute of Marine Engineering Technology (UniKL MIMET) in Lumut has been earmarked as a vital talent and technical resource hub, leveraging its specialization in naval architecture and marine engineering.

Defense Collaboration and Tech Transfer

Beyond maritime logistics, the talks ventured into defense and security partnerships. Both officials deliberated on joint ventures concerning light defense manufacturing, technology sharing, and domestic parts production. Pahang and Sarawak were floated as prospective sites for these industrial projects.

The dialogue also extended to the digital and energy landscapes. Malaysia pitched itself as an ideal destination for high-tech data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, pointing to its reliable energy and water resources as major competitive advantages.

Broadening Islamic Finance and the Halal Sector

Leveraging Malaysia's global standing in Islamic finance, the discussions evaluated opportunities to share expertise in Sharia-compliant financial instruments, the sukuk market, and green financing frameworks.

Meanwhile, cooperation in the halal economy took center stage, with both sides agreeing to push past traditional food and beverage boundaries. Future partnerships will encompass pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, biological products like vaccines, and Islamic insurance (takaful).

Ahmad Zahid’s engagements in Türkiye form part of his four-day working trip from November 5 to 8, which includes his participation in the TRT World Forum 2026 hosted at the Istanbul Congress Centre.

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