SEPANG: The Prime Minister of Cambodian, Hun Manet, arrived in Malaysia today for a one-day official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The special aircraft carrying Hun Manet and his delegation landed at 9.30 am at the Bunga Raya Complex, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
Present at the airport to welcome him were Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, Malaysian Ambassador to Cambodia Datuk Eldeen Husaini Mohd Hashim and Cambodian Ambassador to Malaysia Ouk Chandara.
Hun Manet then inspected a guard of honour mounted by two officers and 25 members from the First Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment led by Captain Khairul Fakhzan Zainul Abidin and Lieutenant Muhammad Ariff Mohamad Sholeh.
This is Hun Manet's maiden visit to Malaysia since appointed to the post in August 2023 to replace his father Hun Sen.
Hun Manet will be given an official welcoming ceremony at Perdana Putra Square, Perdana Putra Complex, Putrajaya, which will be attended by Anwar Ibrahim and his two deputy prime ministers Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
After that, the two prime ministers will hold a bilateral meeting and then witness the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Financial Innovation and Payment Systems between the Central Bank of Malaysia and the National Bank of Cambodia, before attending a luncheon hosted by Anwar.
Hun Manet is also scheduled to have an audience with His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and pay a courtesy call on Dewan Negara President Datuk Mutang Tagal and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Dr Johari Abdul.
Hun Manet's official visit will conclude with the Malaysia-Cambodia Business Forum, which is organised by the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce and the Malaysian Business Council in Cambodia.
In March 2023, Anwar made his first official visit to Cambodia at the invitation of then Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Wisma Putra in a statement issued in conjunction with Hun Manet's visit stated that during the bilateral meeting, Hun Manet and Anwar are expected to focus their discussion on the progress of ongoing bilateral relations, particularly cooperation in trade and investment, agriculture and commodities, the halal industry, energy, security, information and communication, as well as Malaysia's role in the socio-economic development of the Muslim community in Cambodia.
According to Wisma Putra, the visit will add value towards strengthening Malaysia-Cambodia relations in a bilateral context as well as ASEAN regional cooperation.
Cambodia was one of the earliest nations to establish diplomatic relations with Malaysia in 1957 and has since established cooperation in various sectors including trade, investment, education and employment opportunities.
In 2023, Cambodia ranked as Malaysia's 9th largest trading partner in the ASEAN region.
The value of bilateral trade between Malaysia and Cambodia stood at RM3.02 billion, with exports from Malaysia to Cambodia valued at RM2.35 billion, representing a 1.6 per cent increase from the previous year.
Malaysian companies have implemented 162 projects in Cambodia, with investments totalling RM14.4 billion. — BERNAMA