Ships, defence and halal: What Zahid discussed with Turkiye’s consul in Bursa

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (second right) eyes the establishment of a ship repair hub in his Bagan Datuk constituency after talks in Turkiye on November 7, 2026. — File picture from Facebook/Zahid Hamidi

First Published: Sunday, 08 Nov 2026 10:05 AM MYT

ISTANBUL, Nov 8 — The potential to develop a ship maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) hub in Bagan Datuk, Perak, was among the main topics discussed at a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Malaysia’s Honorary Consul in Bursa, Turkiye, Datuk Cevdet Sefer, here yesterday.

At the 30-minute meeting, which began at 11am local time (4pm in Malaysia), Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia had domestic shipping industry capabilities and had attracted interest from foreign investors seeking opportunities in Bagan Datuk, with participation from Turkiye among those receiving attention.

He said Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Institute of Marine Engineering Technology (UniKL Mimet) in Lumut had also been identified as having the potential to support the maritime industry through its expertise in marine engineering, naval architecture and maritime management.

Ahmad Zahid said the meeting also covered opportunities for transferring Turkiye’s technological expertise, building local industrial capacity and expanding cooperation in high-value sectors with the potential to benefit both countries’ economies.

“Potential cooperation in the defence and security industries, including the development of light defence systems, technology transfer and local production of components in Malaysia, with Pahang or Sarawak proposed as project locations, was also discussed,” he said here yesterday.

In the financial sector, Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, said both sides explored opportunities to share Malaysia’s expertise in Islamic banking, Syariah-compliant financing and the sukuk market, as well as potential cooperation in green financing.

“Malaysia’s potential as an investment destination for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and high-tech data centres was also discussed, with a stable supply of energy and water identified as among the key factors in attracting investment.

“In the halal industry, discussions focused on expanding cooperation beyond food and beverages to pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, vaccines, Islamic banking, takaful and high-value halal products,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid is in Turkiye for a four-day working visit from Nov 5 to 8, in conjunction with his participation in the TRT World Forum 2026 at the Istanbul Congress Centre (ICC), which began yesterday and runs for two days. — Bernama