Cambodia Prime Minister, Hun Manet arrived in Malaysia today for a one-day official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Hun Manet and his delegation landed at 9.30am at the Bunga Raya Complex of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, Malaysian Ambassador to Cambodia Datuk Eldeen Husaini Mohd Hashim, and Cambodian Ambassador to Malaysia Ouk Chandara were there at the airport to welcome Hun Manet.
Since he became Prime Minister in August last year, replacing his father Hun Sen, this is his first visit to Malaysia. Hun Manet will be given an official welcoming ceremony at Perdana Putra Square, Perdana Putra Complex, Putrajaya, which Anwar and Deputy Prime Ministers Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof will attend.
Hun Manet and Anwar then are set to engage in a series of meetings and events aimed at bolstering bilateral ties. Following a bilateral meeting, they will witness the signing 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. Anwar will host a luncheon thereafter.
Hun Manet is also scheduled to have an audience with His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and courtesy calls on Dewan Negara President Datuk Mutang Tagal and Dewan Rakyat Speaker Datuk Johari Abdul. The visit will conclude with the Malaysia-Cambodia Business Forum organized by the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce and the Malaysian Business Council in Cambodia.
Anwar’s previous visit to Cambodia in March last year laid the groundwork for discussions during the bilateral meeting. Key agenda items include progress in bilateral relations, cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, halal industry, energy, security, information, communication, and Malaysia’s contributions to the socio-economic development of Cambodia’s Muslim community.
Wisma Putra emphasised that Hun Manet’s visit would strengthen Malaysia-Cambodia relations bilaterally and within ASEAN. Diplomatic relations, established in 1957, have resulted in cooperation across various sectors including trade, investment, education, and employment opportunities.
In 2023, Cambodia emerged as Malaysia’s 9th largest trading partner in ASEAN. Bilateral trade reached RM3.02 billion, with Malaysian exports to Cambodia valued at RM2.35 billion, marking a 1.6% increase from the previous year. Malaysian companies have invested RM14.4 billion across 162 projects in Cambodia.
