PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s official visit to Russia is being hailed as a historic moment for Malaysia, marked by a rare high-level meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and the conferment of full ceremonial honours in Moscow.
Government spokesperson Datuk Fahmi Fadzil described the occasion as unprecedented, noting, “Anwar is the first Malaysian Head of Government in 20 years to receive a Principal Guard of Honour from Moscow.”
“The meeting between him and President Putin, scheduled for this evening or tonight, will be broadcast live via RTM,” Fahmi said on Wednesday. “This is a historic milestone that will undoubtedly pave the way for closer ties, including in trade.”
Anwar is leading a four-day official delegation to Russia, during which he will also meet Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and several key Russian industry leaders to strengthen bilateral cooperation in strategic sectors and attract high-impact investments to Malaysia.
In addition to his engagements in Moscow, Anwar, who also serves as Finance Minister, will travel to Kazan to attend the Russia–Islamic World Strategic Vision Group Meeting and the KazanForum.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, Fahmi announced that the Ministry of Transport (MOT) has been given one month to submit a report on the findings of a special task force investigating the fatal crash involving members of the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU).
The report will be presented to the Cabinet before any further action is taken.
“At today’s Cabinet meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the Transport Minister Anthony Loke informed us that the task force will examine non-criminal aspects of the incident, including matters relating to vehicle safety, which fall under the ministry’s purview,” Fahmi said during his weekly post-Cabinet press conference on Wednesday.
Earlier, Loke had explained that the task force comprises safety experts and independent representatives tasked with identifying the causes of the crash and recommending improvements to road safety, especially concerning heavy vehicles.
The tragic incident, which claimed the lives of nine FRU members, occurred on Tuesday along Jalan Chikus–Sungai Lampan in Teluk Intan, Perak. The lorry they were travelling in, carrying 18 people including the driver, was returning to Ipoh after completing operations under Op Chariot when it was struck by a stone-laden truck. - May 14, 2025
