KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 12 2026 — His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, hosted a state welcoming ceremony for King Abdullah II of Jordan at Istana Negara this morning, marking the start of the Jordanian monarch’s two-day state visit to Malaysia.
Sultan Ibrahim received King Abdullah II at 9.50 am. Also present were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Zulkifli Hasan, and other dignitaries.
On the Jordanian side, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi attended together with senior officials from the Hashemite Royal Court and the Jordanian government.
The ceremony opened with the national anthems of Malaysia and Jordan performed by the Royal Ranger Regiment Central Band under Captain (DOM) Mohd Fahmy Harun, followed by a 21-gun salute by the 41st Battery of the Royal Artillery Regiment at the Istana Negara parade grounds.
King Abdullah II then inspected the Guard of Honour, comprising five officers and 89 other ranks drawn from the Malaysian Army, Royal Malaysian Navy and Royal Malaysian Air Force, and led by Major Muhammad Firdaus Mat Hayin.
After the ceremony, Sultan Ibrahim held a private meeting with King Abdullah II before both leaders proceeded to the Main Banquet Hall for a state banquet hosted in honour of the visiting monarch.
King Abdullah II arrived at the Bunga Raya Complex, Kuala Lumpur International Airport, at 11.13 pm yesterday at the invitation of Sultan Ibrahim. This is his second state visit to Malaysia, following his first in May 2008.
Malaysia and Jordan established diplomatic relations in 1965 and have maintained close ties for more than six decades, particularly in education. This year, 1,636 Malaysian students are studying at higher education institutions in Jordan, while more than 1,490 Jordanian students are enrolled at Malaysian institutions.
The two countries also share a common stance on upholding peace and justice in West Asia and on championing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
Bilateral trade reached RM993.4 million in 2025, an increase of 15.2 per cent from 2024. From January to August 2026, trade rose a further 8.0 per cent year-on-year to RM740.7 million.
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