KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 — Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese undertakes an official visit to Malaysia today after attending the 47th Asean Summit and Related Summits in the capital here.
The visit, at the invitation of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, marked Albanese’s first official visit to Malaysia since assuming office on May 21, 2022.
Anwar and Albanese will co-chair the 3rd Malaysia-Australia Annual Leaders’ Meeting (ALM) this afternoon.
The Malaysian Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said both prime ministers are expected to discuss ways to enhance trade and investment cooperation, collaboration in renewable energy and green technology, education and people-to-people linkages, defence and security partnership, as well as halal cooperation and youth and sports.
The leaders will also exchange views on regional and international developments, including Asean’s centrality, the situation in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific, and maritime cooperation.
They are also scheduled to witness the exchange of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on Transnational Crime and Basic Education, followed by the unveiling of a plaque to commemorate the establishment of the new Monash University campus in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysia and Australia elevated bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2021, providing a platform for both countries to advance cooperation under the CSP’s three pillars — economic prosperity, society and technology, and defence and regional security.
Australia remains an important economic partner for Malaysia.
In 2024, total bilateral trade amounted to RM51.50 billion (US$11.87 billion), with exports and imports valued at RM32.23 billion (US$7.44 billion) and RM19.27 billion (US$4.43 billion) respectively.
From January to September 2025, total trade between the two countries was valued at RM58.01 billion (US$13.41 billion). As of June 2025, total cumulative Australian investment in Malaysia stood at RM6.12 billion.
