PAKISTAN-MALAYSIA BILATERAL RELATIONS

Pakistan and Malaysia enjoy close and cordial relations. Pakistan was one of the first countries to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with Malaysia in 1957. Justice Abdul Hamid of Pakistan played a pivotal role in drafting Malaysia’s constitution. Malaysia is a pro-active player at the UN and its subsidiary bodies. The country is also an influential member state of the OIC, NAM, ASEAN, APEC and EAS. It has taken a lead role in D-8.

The two countries have a convergence of views on world affairs that translates into cooperation and support for each other, at various international forae. Malaysia lent valuable support for Pakistan’s membership in ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) and Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) and supports Pakistan’s enhanced engagement with ASEAN.

Pakistan and Malaysia have signed a large number of agreements and Memoranda of Understanding to enhance bilateral cooperation. The notable being the Malaysia –Pakistan Closer Economic Partnership Agreement-MPCEPA; the first-ever free trade arrangement between any two Islamic countries that came into effect on January1, 2008. The two countries have also signed Agreements and MoUs for cooperation in the fields of culture, tourism, defence, education, science & technology, media-related agreements and above all, a number of economic and commercial agreements on palm oil, housing sector, halal food, and recruitment of Pakistani workers. An Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to taxes on Income was concluded in 1982, followed years later by an Agreement on Promotion and Protection of Investments (1995).

There have been frequent high-level leadership level visits between two countries. Former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahatir Mohamad visited Pakistan in March 1983, 1994 and 2002. His successor Tun Abdullah Badawi visitd Islamabad in 2005 and 2006. Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani visited Malaysia in July 2008, to attend the 6th D-8 Summit. The same year, the two Prime Ministers had an other opportunity of meeting on the sidelines of the Asia- Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit held in Beijing in October.

Recently the Prime Minister of Pakistan Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani held a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Abdul Razak in Perth, Australia on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) on 27-28 October 2011. The two Premiers exchanged views on matters of mutual interest including cooperation in the fields of energy, infrastructure, Islamic banking and finance, services and Halal food industry.

Significant Visits from Pakistan in 2011

• Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan Dr. Fehmida Mirza visited Malaysia on 2-7 October. The Speaker, during her stay met with her Malaysian counterpart as well as with the President of the Malaysian Senate. She also attended, the session of the House of Representatives which opened, after a recess, on 3 October. In addition, she held meetings with Malaysia’s business community and Chambers’ representatives as part of fund raising campaign for our flood victims. A community fund-raiser was also attended by Speaker.
  
  
• Secretary Ministry of Commerce Mr. Zafar Mahmood visited Malaysia from 11-13 September alongwith a delegation of government officials and private sector businessmen and entrepreneurs to attend the first meeting of the Joint Review Committee meeting on the bilateral FTA. The Review Committee Meeting was held on 12 September. A Pakistan-Malaysia Business Forum was also held at MATRADE Headquarters the following day which was inaugurated by Deputy Minister for International Trade & Industry Dato Mukhriz Mahatir. In addition, Secretary Commerce also met with Minister MITI, Minister of Plantation and the Chairman, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE). He also visited MATRADE Export Exhibition Centre and MATRADE Museum.
  
  
• Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Athar Ali, Secretary Defence visited Kuala Lumpur from 17-20 July 2011 alongwith a delegation to attend 9th Pak-Malaysia Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) Meeting. During his stay in Kuala Lumpur, he held meetings with the Secretary General Ministry of Defence and Chief of Royal Malaysian Air Force.
  
  
• Deputy Chairman Senate Mr. Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali, alongwith a delegation comprising members from both Houses of the Parliament, visited Kuala Lumpur on 6-9 June 2011 to attend 15th General Assembly of the Asia Pacific Parliamentarians Conference on Environment and Development (APPCED).
  
  
• A high-level delegation led by Chairman Board of Investment Mr. Salim Mandwiwala visited Malaysia on 29-31 March 2011 and represented Pakistan at the Joint MIDA-BOI Seminar titled Investment Opportunities in Pakistan held in Kuala Lumpur on 31 March 2011. Besides, Chairman BOI called on the Malaysia’s Minister for Plantation, Commodities & Industries Dompak Bernard, Works Minister Shaziman Abu Mansor, Federal Territories Minister Raja Nong Chik, Special envoy on Infrastructure to India and South Asia Mr. Samy Vellu and CEO Halal Industry Development Corporation.
  
  
• Chairman SUPARCO Major. General. ® Ahmed Bilal visited Malaysia on 14-19 November 2011 in connection with UN Expert Meeting on Human Space Technology (Putrajaya).
  
  
• From Malaysian side, the Secretary-General of the Malaysian Foreign Ministry Datul Radzi Abdul Rahman visited Pakistan in February 2011. He held a meeting with (then) Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar.
  
  

Educational Cooperation

The number of Pakistani students in Malaysia has also increased in recent years. About 3000 of them are presently studying in Malaysia. Ten Pakistani and Malaysian Universities have established institutional linkages which allow exchange of researchers, scholars and participation in each other’s academic activities.

Defence Ties

Pak–Malaysian Defence Cooperation dates back to early 1959, when Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) personnel started receiving military training in establishments/institutions in Pakistan. An MoU on defence cooperation was signed during the visit of Pakistan’s Prime Minister in August 1997. Pak Army doctors remained on secondement with Malaysian Armed Forces under a MoU signed in 1995 up until early 2011.
The two countries regularly participate in each other’s Exhibitions and Exercises such as Malaysia’s Defence Services Asia Exhibition (DSA), Langkawi International Maritime and Air Show (LIMA) and Pakistan’s AMAN Exercises. Royal Malaysian Air Force sent relief aid of 11100 kg on two RMAF C-130 aircraft for flood affectees in 2010. Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation (JCDC) exists which meets in turn in respective capitals.

Manpower

A sizeable community of hard working Pakistanis in Malaysia is contributing to the economies of both countries. Malaysia offers reasonably good opportunities for gainful employment as it endeavours to join the ranks of developed countries by 2020. Pakistan will be happy to meet the manpower requirements of Malaysia in coming years. Pakistani students and IT experts presently in Malaysia are readily available source for its industry and can be gainfully employed to contribute to its economy.

Conclusion

Pakistan and Malaysia’s relations have a forward-looking trajectory. Both countries are looking forward to work on a road map for consolidating these ties in the days ahead.