PM Ismail Sabri arrives in Ankara for second part of official visit

ANKARA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob flew to the Turkish capital Wednesday to start the second part of his official visit to Turkiye.

The special aircraft carrying Ismail Sabri and his delegation from Istanbul touched down at the Ankara Esenboga International Airport at 10.55 am (4 pm Malaysian time).

He was received by Minister of National Defence, Hulusi Akar, before inspecting a guard of honour.

Also present were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah; Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba; Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Special Functions) Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad and Deputy Governor of Ankara, Berkay Govcinar.

The prime minister arrived in Turkiye on Tuesday where he visited Malaysia Airport-owned Istanbul Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport and met nine Turkish government-linked companies and private firms.

Ismail Sabri also witnessed exchanges of Memorandum of Understanding between Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) and two Turkish universities - Karadeniz Technical University (KTU) and Karabuk University (UNIKA), as well as a Document of Understanding between Boustead Holdings Berhad and Great East Capital Bigli Teknologi Yatirimlari (GEC).

Today, the premier will visit the country's two major players in defence and aerospace - MKE Corporation and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) respectively.

On Thursday, Ismail Sabri is scheduled to have a four-eyed meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, followed by a Malaysia-Turkey delegation meeting.

-- BERNAMA