PUTRAJAYA, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- His Majesty King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques will undertake a State Visit to Malaysia from 26 February to 1 March 2017 at the invitation of KeBawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong XV, Sultan Muhammad V. His Majesty King Salman will be accompanied by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Al-Saud, members of the royal family, cabinet ministers, senior government officials and a business delegation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
This will be His Majesty King Salman’s first state visit to Malaysia since ascending to the throne on 23 January 2015 as the seventh king of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The last state visit by the King of Saudi Arabia to Malaysia was by the late King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud from 30 January to 1 February 2006, while the late King Faisal Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud undertook his state visit to Malaysia from 7 to 10 June 1970.
Malaysia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continue to enjoy close relations in various key areas including politics, economy, defence and hajj affairs. Saudi Arabia is Malaysia’s second largest trading partner in the Middle East with total trade amounting to RM13.12 billion from Rm10.95 billion in 2016. Malaysia's top five export items to Saudi Arabia are electrical and electronic (E&E) products, manufactures of metal, machinery, appliances and parts, metal products, palm oil and wood products while major import items from Saudi Arabia are chemicals and chemical products, crude petroleum, petroleum products, metal and plastic product.
In conjunction with the state visit, a Malaysia-Saudi Arabia Business Forum will be held in Kuala Lumpur on 28 February 2017. The forum aims to promote greater business opportunities between Malaysia dan Saudi Arabia. More than 300 business captains are expected to participate in the event.
This historic visit will contribute towards the enhancement of the close and fraternal relations between the two countries as well as personal relationship between leaders. It will provide an excellent opportunity for the leaders of both countries to discuss bilateral issues between Malaysia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and exchange views on regional and international issues of common interest. Both sides are expected to expand the scope of cooperation and substance of bilateral relations in various fields such as trade, investment, energy, higher education, training and capacity building, tourism as well as hajj and umrah.
During the state visit, His Majesty King Salman will have an audience with KeBawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong XV, Sultan Muhammad V, and will be accorded with a state welcoming ceremony at Parliament and a state banquet at Istana Negara. Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertuan Agong will confer the Darjah Utama Seri Mahkota Negara (DMN) award to His Majesty King Salman.
His Majesty King Salman is scheduled to meet the Prime Minister of Malaysia at the Prime Minister’s official residence, Seri Perdana. Both leaders will also witness the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding (MoU), namely in the field of economic cooperation, higher education, human resources, and media. YAB Prime Minister will host His Majesty King Salman and delegation to an official lunch at Seri Perdana, Putrajaya.
His Majesty King Salman will also be conferred with an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (Islam and Wasathiyah) and a Lifetime Outstanding Achievement Award from the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM). The Honorary Doctorate will be conferred by the Sultan of the State of Pahang, Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Abu Bakar Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mu'adzam Shah, as the Constitutional Head of the IIUM.
In addition, University of Malaya (UM) will confer an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters to His Majesty King Salman. The conferment will be done by the Sultan of the State of Perak and the Chancellor of the UM, Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Al-Maghfur-lah.
Source : Ministry of Foreign Affairs
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name : NURBAITI BAKTHIR
Assistant Secretary
Division of Communications and Public Diplomacy
Email : nurbaiti@kln.gov.my
--BERNAMA 
