Malaysian Prime Minister and Bahraini Crown Prince Discuss Strengthening Relations and Activating Joint Committee
Kuala Lumpur, Oct 3 (KUNA) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim held talks today, Saturday, with Bahraini Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa to explore ways to strengthen bilateral relations, including accelerating high-level consultations to activate the Joint High-Level Committee and strategically advance the agenda of bilateral cooperation. This was stated in a statement issued by Ibrahim, who welcomed Prince Salman’s visit to Malaysia on the occasion of the hosting of the 2026 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix Formula 1 in Malaysia.
Ibrahim affirmed that Malaysia is determined to expand cooperation with the Kingdom of Bahrain in the fields of health, Islamic finance, technology, tourism, food security, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and smart manufacturing. He clarified that these directions align with the aspirations of Malaysia’s “Civil Economy” initiative and Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030. He noted that Malaysia welcomes Bahraini investments, while Malaysian companies are preparing to leverage the Kingdom of Bahrain as a gateway to the markets of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, serving the prosperity and well-being of the peoples of both nations.
He expressed his appreciation for the support provided by the Kingdom of Bahrain and the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile), which enabled the return of Formula 1 races to the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia for the first time since 2017. He also expressed his gratitude to the Bahrain International Circuit, the Sepang International Circuit, and the Malaysian Ministry of Youth and Sports for the close cooperation since last July, which contributed to completing race preparations within a short timeframe. He wished the Bahraini delegation, all teams, drivers, and visitors a weekend marked by smooth organization and the success of the race events.
The 2026 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix Formula 1 in Malaysia will be held at the Sepang International Circuit from October 2 to 4, featuring race events, qualifying sessions, and accompanying programs over three days.
In Manama, the Bahrain News Agency (BNA) quoted Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa as saying after the meeting that the relations between the Kingdom of Bahrain and Malaysia continue to progress and flourish, given the mutual care and attention they receive. He emphasized the importance of continuing to build on the fruitful cooperation achieved and working to create more future opportunities that contribute to expanding the horizons of joint work and coordination between the two countries, thereby realizing common goals and interests.
Sheikh Salman bin Hamad expressed his thanks and appreciation to Malaysia for the facilitations and arrangements provided, which contributed to hosting the 2026 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix Formula 1 in Malaysia, commending the efforts made and the fruitful cooperation in organizing this global sporting event, which reflects the distinguished relations and close cooperation shared by the two countries.
The agency added that during the meeting, the latest developments on the regional and international scenes were reviewed, and a number of issues of mutual interest were discussed. (End) E.A.B./Kh.N.A./R.J.
