Marcos: PM Anwar visit rekindles old friendship and old bond

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said he views the visit of Malaysian Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim as a reaffirmation of two nations’ commitment to revitalize their bilateral ties.

According to the Presidential Communications Office, Marcos issued the statement in his toast remarks during the official dinner hosted for the visiting Malaysian leader on Wednesday.

Marcos said he was heartened by Prime Minister Anwar’s visit “not only because I am happy to see a friend, whom we have come to admire greatly.”

“I view the Prime Minister’s visit as a rekindling of an old friendship and old bond that took millennia to make, between neighbors and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) founding members, whose people have interacted and traded for centuries before they even knew the concept of countries,” the President said, as quoted by the PCO on Thursday.

“More importantly, I view this visit as a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to revitalize our bilateral relations” he added.

Marcos said there is an immense potential in the areas of trade and investment.

He added that the Philippines and Malaysia, as pillars of ASEAN, have the responsibility and the opportunity to strengthen their community, and work towards regional peace and prosperity.

The President said the Philippines and the Filipino people supported Anwar during some of his darkest days, assuring him that the sincere and tested friendship has remained strong throughout the decades.

“I further express my hope that this warm kinship between us, as leaders, will set the tone of the bilateral relations between our governments, countries and people, in the years to come,” Marcos said.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is the first head of government to have visited the Philippines under Marcos Jr.’s administration.

He is in the country for a two-day official visit.

While in the Philippines, Anwar is set to give a lecture at the University of the Philippines about the years following the Asian Renaissance and meet with members of the Malaysian community in Manila.

Aside from being ASEAN founding members, the two countries have rich bilateral ties and history, boasting almost six decades of friendship with interactions between their peoples dating back millennia, the PCO said.

Malaysia and the Philippines have also engaged in collaborative initiatives for a peaceful and more secure region by conducting joint patrols to combat transnational crimes in the seas.

The PCO said Malaysia also acted as third party facilitator in the Philippine government’s peace process with Muslim separatists in Mindanao, which has contributed to significant progress in the peace and stability in the south.

JMS