Newly appointed Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he was looking forward to building better ties with the Philippines, citing the long-standing strong diplomatic relations between the two Asian countries.
Anwar, Malaysia's long-time opposition leader, said this after his phone conversation with President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. after his election this week.
In a tweet, Anwar thanked Marcos for congratulating him on his new post and expressed a desire to work closely with the Filipino leader's administration.
"Thank you, President @bongbongmarcos, for the telephone call and best wishes. As founding fathers of ASEAN, our two nations have always enjoyed strong cooperation in bilateral, regional, and multilateral forums," Anwar wrote.
"With our long-standing personal and diplomatic interactions, I look forward to working closely with you to further elevate Malaysia-Philippines bilateral ties," he added.
Thank you President @bongbongmarcos for the telephone call and best wishes. As founding fathers of ASEAN, our two nations have always enjoyed strong cooperation in bilateral, regional and multilateral forums. https://t.co/r5SSYbbLQC
— Anwar Ibrahim (@anwaribrahim) November 25, 2022
During their phone call, President Marcos said he hoped to work with the new Malaysian leader, particularly as the Southeast Asian region tackles various challenges.
"I just wanted to be --- to immediately – to be one of the first to congratulate you because I'm very happy to hear the news. I was very happy to hear the news, and I wanted to congratulate you immediately, myself," he said.
"I am sure this will make Malaysia and the Philippines even closer because we will be in touch with another," he added.
During the call, Anwar said Malaysia wants the Philippines' commitment to collaboration in different areas, such as trade and investment, considering the two nations' great traditions in the past.
President Marcos said a strong partnership between the Philippines and Malaysia is vital because of all the problems the two nations face.
"We have to really work together. Otherwise, we will not be able to get over this crisis of the inflation, of the agricultural commodities, all of that," he said.
"I saw your statement that the economy will be your first priority. And I found myself in the same position. So we can – I think we can help each other with Malaysia and the Philippines," he added.
Marcos likewise told Anwar that they have some commonality: they both waited for a very long time to get into the position. In response, Anwar said some in his social media team learned from the President's expertise and strategy.
Anwar was sworn in as Malaysia's prime minister on Thursday, vowing to fight corruption and revive the Malaysian economy.
Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah, the King of Malaysia, named Anwar as the Southeast Asian nation's 10th leader after seeing him clinching the support of the majority.
Anwar's appointment capped his 30-year political journey, which included being a protégé of veteran leader Mahathir Mohammad to being a prisoner convicted of sodomy.