Malaysia turns to ‘honest, reliable’ Turkey for stability amid rising US aggression

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s latest outreach to Turkey indicates a growing urgency among developing nations to close ranks with like-minded partners, experts say, amid uncertainty caused by US tariffs and mounting military aggression.

Malaysia and Turkey on Wednesday agreed to elevate diplomatic and economic ties by establishing a High Level Strategic Cooperation Council.

The move comes barely a week after Washington bombed Caracas and captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro as part of US President Donald Trump’s “war on drugs” – an act that critics, including Anwar, had said violated international law.

Anwar, who is leading a delegation on a three-day official trip to Turkey, said on Wednesday the world was in need of “honest, reliable friends” – like Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – to call out injustices and take the lead in resolving crises such as the ongoing oppression of Palestine.