KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 — The Philippine House of Representatives today passed a special resolution to recognise the efforts and commitment of the Malaysian Parliament to expand regional parliamentary cooperation.
In a statement today, the Malaysian Parliament announced that the special resolution was passed during the visit of the Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul, who is also president of the 46th Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), to the country, as a gesture of respect for the close ties between Malaysia and the Philippines.
The statement said that during the visit, Johari held a bilateral meeting with his counterpart, the Philippine House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez.
“Both Speakers reiterated their commitment to continue the diplomatic relations that have been in place for over six decades, while emphasising the importance of cooperation on key regional issues, including economic growth, peace and security, food security, and climate change action,” it said.
The statement also noted that during the meeting, Johari extended an invitation to Romualdez and the Philippine Congress delegation to attend the 46th AIPA meeting, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur in September 2025.
Additionally, Johari also held a meeting with the Philippine Senate President Francis Escudero, where both leaders stressed the role of parliamentary diplomacy in strengthening Asean’s priorities in addressing issues and shaping the direction of the region.
The Philippines is Malaysia’s 17th-largest trading partner globally and the fifth-largest among Asean members in 2024, with a trade volume of RM35.16 billion, a 5.5 per cent increase compared to the trade volume in 2023.
— Bernama
