RIYADH — King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim, arrived in Riyadh on Monday for a four-day state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

This marks the first state visit by a Malaysian monarch to Saudi Arabia since the late Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah’s visit in 1984.

Sultan Ibrahim was accompanied by Malaysia’s Defense Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, as well as his sons, Tunku Temenggong Johor Tunku Idris Iskandar Al-Haj and Tunku Panglima Johor Tunku Abdul Rahman Al-Haj, who arrived earlier in a separate aircraft.

Upon arrival, Sultan Ibrahim was received by Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy emir of the Riyadh Region; Riyadh Mayor Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf; and Saudi Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb.

According to a statement from Istana Negara, the visit underscores both nations’ shared commitment to advancing cooperation across economic, geopolitical, defense, and Islamic affairs. It noted that in the first ten months of 2025, there were 12 high-level exchanges between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is Malaysia’s 14th largest trading partner, with total trade reaching $9.79 billion.

The two countries also maintain close collaboration in Hajj and Umrah affairs, with Sultan Ibrahim expected to express gratitude for Saudi Arabia’s continued hospitality toward Malaysian pilgrims. — SG