DILI, Sept 23 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was warmly welcomed with full state honours at the Presidential Palace in Dili, Timor-Leste, as he commenced his historic two-day official visit to the young Southeast Asian nation.
The ceremonial welcome, held Tuesday evening at 4:10 pm local time, was hosted by Timor-Leste President Dr José Ramos-Horta — a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and symbol of resilience for his nation. The event featured the stirring national anthems of both countries, echoed by a 19-cannon salute that resonated through the capital, symbolizing the strength and hope of growing bilateral friendship.
Prime Minister Anwar, dignified and respectful, inspected the ceremonial guard of honour before signing the Palace’s Visitor’s Book, a gesture that signaled Malaysia’s intent to deepen ties with Timor-Leste not just through policy — but through genuine, people-centered diplomacy.
Following the ceremony, a four-eye meeting was held between Anwar and President Ramos-Horta, setting the tone for deeper strategic discussions. The two leaders are expected to share key points from their meeting in a joint press conference later today.
Anwar is accompanied by several high-level Malaysian officials, including Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, and Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin — underlining the broad and cross-sectoral scope of this diplomatic mission.
His agenda also includes a Pre-Council Meeting, a Madani Engagement session with the Malaysian diaspora in Timor-Leste, and gatherings with alumni of the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) and the Malaysian Defence Cooperation Programme (MDCP) — reflecting Malaysia’s long-standing commitment to capacity building in the region.
The evening will close with an official dinner jointly hosted by President Ramos-Horta and Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, another icon of the country’s independence struggle and governance.
