KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 12): His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, attended a state welcoming ceremony at Istana Negara on Monday, marking the start of King Abdullah II of Jordan's two-day state visit to Malaysia, which began on Sunday (Oct 11).

Sultan Ibrahim received King Abdullah II at 9.50am.

Also present at the ceremony were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Zulkifli Hasan and other distinguished guests.

Also in attendance were Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi, as well as senior officials from the Hashemite Royal Court and the Jordanian government.

The welcoming ceremony began with the national anthems of both countries performed by the Royal Ranger Regiment Central Band, led by Captain (DOM) Mohd Fahmy Harun, followed by a 21-gun salute by the 41st Battery of the Royal Artillery Regiment at the Istana Negara parade grounds.

King Abdullah II then inspected the Guard of Honour, comprising five officers and 89 other ranks from the three branches of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) — the Army, Royal Malaysian Navy and Royal Malaysian Air Force — led by Major Muhammad Firdaus Mat Hayin.

After the ceremony, Sultan Ibrahim held a private meeting with King Abdullah II before proceeding to the Main Banquet Hall for a state banquet in honour of the Jordanian King’s visit.

King Abdullah II arrived at the Bunga Raya Complex at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 11.13pm on Sunday for the state visit at the invitation of Sultan Ibrahim.

This is King Abdullah II’s second state visit to Malaysia, following his first in May 2008. The visit comes as Malaysia and Jordan mark more than six decades of diplomatic relations, established in 1965, particularly in the field of education.

This year, 1,636 Malaysian students are pursuing their studies at higher education institutions in Jordan, while more than 1,490 Jordanian students are enrolled at higher education institutions in Malaysia.

Beyond their longstanding people-to-people ties, Malaysia and Jordan also share a commitment to upholding peace and justice and ensuring lasting stability in West Asia, particularly in championing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

Bilateral trade between Malaysia and Jordan reached RM993.4 million in 2025, an increase of 15.2% from 2024. Trade grew by a further 8.0% to RM740.7 million from January to August 2026, compared with the corresponding period last year.

Uploaded by Liza Shireen Koshy