DILI, Sept 23 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived here today to begin a historic two-day official visit to Timor-Leste, aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and supporting the nation’s imminent accession as Asean’s 11th member.
Anwar’s special aircraft landed at the Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport here at 2.43pm local time.
On hand to welcome the premier were President José Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão. Also present were Malaysian Ambassador to Timor-Leste Datuk Amarjit Singh and Timor-Leste chief of protocol Juvencio Martins.
Accompanying Anwar on the visit are Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, as well as senior officials from the Prime Minister’s Department and the Foreign Ministry.
The welcome ceremony saw Anwar inspecting a static guard of honour, before being presented with the tais — a traditional handwoven textile of deep cultural significance to the Timorese people — and performances by a traditional welcoming troupe and a school drum band.
In a rare ceremonial gesture, Anwar was invited to join Ramos-Horta in a ride on the Mini Moke, an open-top classic vehicle that has become a familiar sight at state events in Timor-Leste.
Ramos-Horta drove the car himself, with Anwar seated beside him in the front, while Gusmão rode in the back.
The use of the Moke — long associated with Ramos-Horta’s personal style and informal outreach to the public — added a distinctive cultural touch as the trio travelled together from the airport to a hotel nearby.
This marks the first visit by a Malaysian prime minister to Timor-Leste in 22 years, highlighting Malaysia’s consistent support for the country’s Asean aspirations.
Malaysia was the first Asean nation to establish an embassy in Dili on the eve of Timor-Leste’s independence in May 2002, and has remained as one of its strongest advocates as the young democratic country, with a population of nearly 1.4 million, prepares to take its place as the 11th member of Asean at the 47th Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur next month.
Beyond the ceremonial warmth, the visit is expected to deepen practical cooperation. More than 1,000 Timorese have benefited from Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) training, while 55 students are studying in Malaysia.
Economic and people-to-people ties have also grown, boosted by Batik Air’s direct Kuala Lumpur-Dili flights launched in June and Dili’s introduction of 30-day visa-free travel for Malaysians in August.
Last year, bilateral trade between Malaysia and Timor-Leste stood at US$18.72 million (RM85.68 million). Malaysia’s exports to Timor-Leste amounted to US$18.37 million, while imports from the country totalled US$0.35 million.
Between January and July this year, bilateral trade reached US$6.65 million, with more than 200 Malaysian small and medium enterprises active in Timor-Leste across sectors such as food, hospitality, retail, and automotive services.
