О ВСТРЕЧЕ ЗАМЕСТИТЕЛЯ МИНИСТРА ИНОСТРАННЫХ ДЕЛ РОССИИ А.И.ДЕНИСОВА С ПОЧЕТНЫМ КОНСУЛОМ РОССИИ НА О.ПЕНАНГ (МАЛАЙЗИЯ) ТЕО СЕН ЛИ

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Bilateral relations

RUSSIA-MALAYSIA RELATIONS

Diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and Malaysia were established on April 3, 1967.

In 2003, President of Russia Vladimir Putin visited Malaysia twice (an official visit in August, and participation in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference Summit in October). In December 2005, Vladimir Putin met with Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as part of the first Russia-ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur.

In 2005, King of Malaysia Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail paid a private visit to St Petersburg. In June 2007, Ahmad Badawi paid an official visit to Russia.

In March 2011, former Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir bin Mohamad visited Moscow. In November 2011, Dmitry Medvedev had a conversation with Prime Minister of Malaysia Najib Razak on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting in Honolulu.

Vladimir Putin and Najib Razak also met during the APEC summits in Vladivostok (2012), on Bali, Indonesia (2013) and in Beijing (2014). The Russian President and the head of the Malaysian government met on the sidelines of the 20^th Russia-ASEAN summit on May 19, 2017 in Sochi.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev had a meeting with the Prime Minister of Malaysia in November 2015, on the sidelines of the East Asian Summit in Kuala Lumpur.

Betweenn July 12-16, 2016, Najib Razak paid a private visit to Moscow and St Petersburg.

King of Malaysia Sultan Muhammad V paid private visits to Russia in April and July 2017.

Russian and Malaysian foreign ministries maintain close contacts. Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia in 2005 (twice), 2010, 2013 and in August 2015. In July 2013, Foreign Minister of Malaysia Anifah Aman came to Russia on a working visit. Regular consultations are held at the level of heads of the relevant Foreign Ministry departments: on contacts between the two countries’ parliaments, public and political organisations and regions, on Islamic issues (2007), anti-terrorism efforts (2011), inter-civilisational dialogue (2012), and the UN Security Council matters (March 2015). In 2012 and 2013, consultations between deputy foreign ministers were held in Malaysia. In July 2017, Foreign Minister of Malaysia Anifah Aman paid a working visit to Moscow.

Inter-parliamentary contacts are growing. In January 2010, Speaker of the Federation Council Sergey Mironov paid an official visit to Malaysia. Chairman of the Malaysian Senate Zaini Ujang visited Moscow in September 2011. In March 2016, Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko paid an official visit to Malaysia. On September 21-24, 2016, the newly elected Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Malaysia, Vigneswaran Sanasee, paid an official visit to our country.

Valentina Matviyenko also met with Zaini Ujang on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum in Vladivostok (January 2013) and Ecuador (January 2015).

In February 2013, a delegation of the Russian State Duma, led by Chairman of the Committee on Economic Policy, Innovative Development and Entrepreneurship Igor Rudensky, visited Malaysia.

In September 2015, a delegation of the Russian Federal Assembly led by the Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, Andrey Klimov took part in the 36^th General Assembly of ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly.

A parliamentary delegation of Malaysia, led by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Ronald Kiandee, attended the 41^st plenary session of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly (St. Petersburg, November 27 - December 2, 2014).

Political parties of the two countries also maintain contact. In 2004, a delegation of the United Russia party took part in the 55^th congress of the ruling United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) in Kuala Lumpur. In April 2005, UMNO delegation paid a return visit to Moscow, during which a protocol on inter-party cooperation was signed. In 2008, 2009 and 2011 representatives of UMNO attended United Russia conventions as guests.

There is also interaction between the two countries’ judiciaries. Between May 15-16, 2017 Chief Justice of Malaysia Arifin bin Zakaria visited Moscow and also took part in the 6^th St Petersburg International Legal Forum and the international conference, Modern Constitutional Justice: Challenges and Prospects (May 17-21, 2017).

Interregional exchanges are consolidating. In January 2013, President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov visited Kuala Lumpur; in September 2014, a business delegation of Tatarstan headed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Communications, Roman Shaykhutdinov, visited Malaysia.

In September 2014, former Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir bin Mohamad made a private trip to the Chechen Republic.

Between July 25-29, 2017, Russia’s Minister of the Interior, General of Police Vladimir Kolokoltsev, visited Malaysia to attend the 36^th ASEANAPOL Conference.

According to Russia’s Federal Customs Service, in 2016, bilateral trade increased by 12 percent, amounting to $2.2 billion, with Russian exports accounting for $972.1 million (up 56 percent), and imports for $1.204 billion (down 8.1 percent). Between January-May 2017, mutual trade shrank by 5.2 percent compared to the same period in 2016, to $670.8 million. Exports over that period amounted to $153.1 million (down 41.3 percent), and imports to $513.7 million (up 15.8 percent).

Oil and other commodities accounted for the bulk of Russian exports (75.1 percent), followed by chemicals (11.8 percent), aluminum and aluminum products (3.5 percent).

Malaysia mainly supplied electric machines and equipment (62.1 percent), rubber (17 percent), foodstuffs and agricultural produce, including animal and vegetable fats and oils (16.1 percent).

In November 2015, an agreement was signed in Kuala Lumpur on the establishment of a Joint Malaysia-Russia Commission for Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation (ESTC). The Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov was appointed to co-chair the intergovernmental commission.

Malaysia’s Rimbunan Hijau Group has been successfully investing in the development of the timber and woodworking industry in the Khabarovsk Territory for a decade. Its fibreboard facility annually produces more than 600,000 cubic meters of material.

In January 2014, Russia’s Uralkali and the Federal Land Development Authority of Malaysia opened a joined potash fertiliser supply company that serves Malaysian state plantations.

Kaspersky Lab is successfully working on the Malaysian market, providing up to 40 percent of all antivirus software.

The Business Council for Cooperation with Malaysia (BCCM) was established in Russia in July 2013. It is headed by vice-president of Irkut Corporation Vladimir Sautov.

In March 2016, the BCCM and the Institute of Strategic and International studies (ISIS) Malaysia signed an agreement to set up a joint Russian-Malaysian Business Council in Kuala Lumpur. BCCM plans to open a representative office in Malaysia before this year’s end.

Between 2014-2015, a delegation of Rusatom Overseas held several rounds of negotiations with the leadership of state and commercial agencies of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur for possible participation in the construction of nuclear power plants in that country.

In May 2015, 17 promising Russian high-tech projects developed by seven Russian companies from five regions were presented at the 26^th International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition (ITEX) in Kuala Lumpur and received high awards from the organisers.

Relations are developing in the sphere of education, culture and tourism. Russian universities are training about 3,000 Malaysian students on a contract basis, mainly for medical and engineering professions.

A Russian Centre of Science and Culture opened in Kuala Lumpur in 1981.

Russian music and art groups regularly perform in Malaysia. More than 40,000 Russian tourists visited the country in 2015.

The main Christian cemetery in Georgetown, the capital of the state of Penang, and the nearby island of Jerejak have memorial graves in tribute to the memory of the sailors from the Russian cruiser Zhemchug (Pearl) killed near the shores of Penang during the First World War (October 28, 1914).

Malaysia

MALAYSIA

General information: The country is located in Southeast Asia on the Malacca Peninsula, in the northern part of the Kalimantan Island. It enjoys a wet equatorial climate, with average annual air temperature of 26° C.

Area: 329,800 square kilometres.

Capital: Kuala Lumpur, with a population of about 1.76 million. Putrajaya is the administrative centre of the country, where government agencies have been moved in 2003.

Population: 31.03 million. (As of December 2016), of which 61.4 percent are Malays and related ethnic groups, 24.6 percent – Chinese, 7.2 percent – Indians, more than 5 percent – other native of Southeast Asia, 1 percent – Europeans, etc.

Official language: Malay, with English, Chinese and Tamil widely used.

Religion: Sunni Islam. Muslims make up the majority of the population, about 61.3 percent; Buddhists, Taoists, Confucians and adherents of traditional Chinese religions account for 22 percent, Christians (Catholics, Protestants, Lutherans, and followers of the Syrian Orthodox Church) 9.2 percent; Hindus 6.3 percent and followers of animistic cults, 2 percent.

National holiday: Independence Day, August 31 (since 1957).

National currency: Malaysian ringgit. The average exchange rate of the Malaysian ringgit was approximately $0.24 in 2016.

Political system: Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy. The country is comprised of 13 states and three federal territories. The supreme ruler (king) of Malaysia is elected for five years from among the nine crown princes (sultans) of the states. Since December 2016, the 15^th Supreme Ruler of Malaysia is the head of Kelantan state, Sultan Muhammad V.

Executive authority: Cabinet of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister, the leader of the party that won the majority of seats in the House of Representatives following a general election. As a result of the May 5, 2013 vote, Najib Razak was reelected the Prime Minister of Malaysia for a second term (the next elections are scheduled for 2018).

There are 26 federal ministries and the Prime Minister's Office, which is actually a ministry. The Cabinet is comprised of the Prime Minister, his deputy, ministers, deputy ministers (a total of 70 people) and is approved by the Supreme Ruler of the country.

The executive power in the states is exercised by local governments or state executive councils headed by chief ministers appointed by the heads of the states (sultans or governors) following local elections to legislative assemblies.

Supreme legislative authority: The country’s legislative body is a bicameral Parliament. The State Council (Senate) is the upper house. Of its 70 members, 44 senators are appointed by the king, and 26 are elected by legislative assemblies of the states – two senators from each. A senator serves for three years (no more than two terms in a row). Vigneswaran Sanasee is the President of the Senate since April 26, 2016.

The People's Council (House of Representatives) – the parliament’s lower house – consists of 222 deputies elected for five years by direct general elections in single-mandate constituencies. Since April 2008, the Speaker of the House of Representatives is Pandikar Amin Mulia.

Each state has a legislative body, which is a unicameral legislative assembly.

There are about 40 major political parties in Malaysia.

The National Front ruling coalition (Barisan Nasional; BN) consists of 13 parties and holds the majority of seats in the Parliament of Malaysia and in legislative assemblies of ten of the 13 states.

Three ethnic-based parties form the basis of the BN coalition established in 1955: the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), the Malaysian Chinese Association and the Malaysian Indian Congress.

The official opposition in Malaysia is united in one political bloc, the Pact of Hope, consisting of the Democratic Action Party, People's Justice Party, National Trust Party and Malaysian United Indigenous Party. In September 2016, Malaysian United Indigenous Party was officially registered, led by former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad as Chairman.

Malaysia has a number of non-governmental organisations: the National Co-operative Movement, the International Movement for a Just World, the Malaysian Youth Council, and the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement. The trade union movement is represented by two associations: the Malaysian Trades Union Congress and the Congress of Union of Employees in the Public and Civil Services.

History: The history of independent Malaysia is estimated from the 14^th century when the Malacca Sultanate was established. In 1511, Malacca was conquered by Portugal, and in 1641, taken over by Holland. The first fortifications were built by the British in 1786 on the island of Penang. In 1815, while distributing the colonial territories of Napoleon's allies, the Vienna Congress decided to hand over Malaya and Singapore to Britain. The British Governor-General’s administration was stationed in Singapore. From 1841, Sarawak was ruled by the Brooks, the ‘white raja’ British dynasty; in 1878, the Sabah area was controlled by a private British trading company, Northern British Borneo. In 1888, Northern Borneo (now the states of Sabah and Sarawak) became British protectorates.

Between 1942-1945, Malaysia was occupied by Japanese troops.

On August 31, 1957, the Federation of Malaya gained independence from the English crown. The state of Malaysia was de facto established in 1965, after Singapore's separation and the annexation of the states of Sabah and Sarawak.

Economy: Malaysia is a new industrial country, considering the main economic indicators.

In 2016, Malaysian GDP grew at 4.2 percent. The most significant industries are export-oriented electronics and electrical products. Other major industries include the chemical, food, and rubber industries, metal processing, and transport equipment. There are three national carmakers: Proton, Perodua and Hicom.

GDP per capita: $11,400.

Foreign trade: Turnover amounted to $319.5 billion in November 2016 (down 6.1 percent compared with the same period in 2015). Exports plummeted to $169.1 billion (down 11 percent), while imports reached $150.4 billion (up 0.9 percent). The trade balance was $18.7 billion. Over the past 18 years, Malaysia’s trade always showed a positive balance.

The main export items were electrical machines and equipment, chemical products, oil and petroleum products, and liquefied gas. Imports were dominated by electric machinery and electronics, chemical products, minerals, oil, machinery and equipment.

Malaysia’s main partners are China, Singapore, the United States and Japan. The largest investors are Japan and the United States. The country’s foreign trade policy is aimed at expanding its share of the Asian market.

Malaysia’s international reserves stood at $102.8 billion in December 2016 (down from $104.8 billion in December 2015). Its foreign debt is $160 billion.

Inflation: about 2-3 percent; unemployment: 3.5 percent.

Domestic policy: The persisting ethnic conflicts are a serious problem in Malaysia. Islamist political forces have grown radical and more active, calling for expanding Sharia law.

Foreign policy: Malaysia’s foreign policy is based on its traditional balanced approach, and focuses on promoting trade, economic and investment cooperation with foreign partners, strengthening political and defence cooperation. Relations with the main global players and regional partners have generally shown positive dynamics.

Malaysia held the chairmanship of ASEAN last year and hence has been paying particular attention to promoting its priorities. Malaysia has been equally active at other regional associations such as APEC, EAC, ARF, and ASEM.

On December 31, 2016, Malaysia completed its two-year non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council. Among Malaysia’s key priorities are restrained approaches, mediation in disputes, strengthening UN peacekeeping efforts, support for post-conflict peace-building, reform of the UN Security Council, investigation of the MH17 flight crash in Ukraine, the Middle East peace process, humanitarian aid, fighting terrorism and child abuse.

Armed Forces: 153,000 people, including Army (120,000), Navy (18,000), Air Force (15,000). Police numbers about 120,000.

Media: Malaysia’s leading news agency is Bernama. The most popular newspapers are the English-language The New Straits Times, Star, Sun, and Malay Mail and Malay-language Berita Harian and Utusan Malaysia. Two newspapers are published in Chinese – Nanyang Ribao and Sin Chew Jit Poh.

The most influential media are the Malaysiakini news website and the Harakah opposition daily newspaper produced by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party.

The Arabic news agency Al-Jazeera has been operating in Kuala Lumpur since 2006.

Anthem