Malaysian PM visits Saudi Arabia

Establishment of King Salman Centre for International Peace is high on talks agenda

The establishment of the King Salman Centre for International Peace (KSCIP) in Putrajaya, the seat of Malaysia’s government, will be among the key issues to be discussed during Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najeeb Razzak working visit to Saudi Arabia starting today, officials have said.

Saudi-Malaysian talks during Najeeb’s five-day visit, at the invitation of King Salman, will also include issues related to economic cooperation, investment and Haj matters.

Audience with King Salman

Najeeb will be accompanied by his wife Rosmah Mansor and senior government officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, a statement from Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry, carried by Bernama, the official news agency, said.

Najeeb is scheduled to have an audience with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman in the capital Riyadh.

“The meetings will provide them with the opportunity to discuss and exchange views on bilateral, multilateral, regional and international issues, particularly the follow-up actions on issues discussed and agreed upon during the historic state visit by King Salman to Malaysia last year,” the statement said. The Centre started operations in May, from a temporary office in the capital Kuala Lumpur, as part of its mission to correct perception of the world community towards Islam, and deflect the influence of extremism and terrorist activities and promote universal peace.

In July, Najeeb announced that a permanent structure for the KSCIP would be built on a 16-hectare plot of land in Putrajaya, the federal administrative centre of Malaysia.

The government has two years to build the new centre in Putrajaya.