Najib in Jeddah for working visit to Saudi Arabia

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is currently in Jeddah as he begins a working visit to Saudi Arabia.

The Malaysian prime minister is expected to have an audience with King Salman Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor were welcomed on arrival here by Malaysian ambassador Zainol Rahim Zainuddin as well as high-ranking Saudi officials.

The special aircraft carrying Najib and his entourage touched down at this port city's King Abdulaziz International Airport about 11.50 pm (local time) on Monday. Malaysia is five hours ahead of Saudi Arabia.

The Malaysian leader will kick off his visit to the kingdom by performing the umrah in the holy city of Makkah on Tuesday.

Tonight, he is scheduled to share his views on private-public partnership when he delivers his keynote address at the Jeddah Economic Forum 2016.

Besides Jeddah, the prime minister will also travel to the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh.

Also in his itinerary is visiting members of the Malaysian Armed Forces currently based at Hafar Al Batin.

Accompanying Najib are Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar, as well as senior government officials.

A Foreign Ministry statement said the working visit would help boost efforts to further enhance and strengthen existing bilateral ties between both countries.

Politics, economy, defence and haj affairs are among key areas where the two nations share close relations.