DILI, Timor-Leste – The evening of September 23 marked a moment of diplomatic warmth and historic significance as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was given a grand ceremonial welcome at the Presidential Palace, kicking off his two-day official visit to Timor-Leste.
Arriving with an air of purpose and brotherhood, Anwar was received with full honours by President Dr José Ramos-Horta. The ceremony, held at 4:10 pm local time, was a symbolic gesture of friendship between the two nations. The national anthems of Malaysia and Timor-Leste played proudly as a 19-gun salute echoed through the capital city of Dili — a moment steeped in mutual respect and shared aspirations.
The Prime Minister then inspected a guard of honour before signing the official Visitor’s Book — a timeless tradition that reflects the diplomacy and goodwill at the heart of such visits.
Following the formalities, Anwar and President Ramos-Horta held a “four-eye” meeting — an intimate diplomatic dialogue between two leaders. The outcomes of this meeting are expected to strengthen cooperation in various sectors and will be shared later in a joint press conference.
Accompanying the Prime Minister were key figures from his Cabinet, including Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil, and Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin.
The evening’s schedule continued with a Pre-Council Meeting and a Madani Engagement — a heartfelt session with the Malaysian diaspora in Timor-Leste, as well as alumni of the Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) and the Malaysian Defence Cooperation Programme (MDCP). These engagements reflect Malaysia’s ongoing commitment to regional capacity-building and people-to-people connection.
The day concluded with an official dinner co-hosted by President Ramos-Horta and Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão — a fitting end to a day filled with diplomacy, collaboration, and shared vision.
