Malaysia seeks wider cooperation and investment from Bahrain
Anwar said Malaysian companies were ready to use Bahrain as a gateway to the Gulf Cooperation Council market.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia was open to Bahraini investment and ready to broaden cooperation following talks with Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
In an X post on Oct 3, Anwar said the discussions covered Islamic finance, healthcare and tourism, alongside food security and technology. Artificial intelligence (AI), smart manufacturing and cybersecurity were also areas for cooperation.
He said Malaysian companies were ready to access the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) market through Bahrain. The leaders also discussed speeding up consultations between senior officials so the High-Level Joint Committee could be activated to advance bilateral relations.
Anwar linked the commitment to wider cooperation to the aspirations of the MADANI Economy and Bahrain Economic Vision 2030. Prince Salman is visiting Malaysia for the 2026 Formula 1 (F1) Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Anwar credited support from Bahrain and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) with enabling F1’s return to Sepang, its first since 2017. He also thanked Bahrain International Circuit, Sepang International Circuit and the Ministry of Youth and Sports for working together since July to complete race preparations in a short time.
