TASHKENT: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's official visit to Uzbekistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan in Central Asia, from May 14 to 19, yielded positive results not only in terms of economic cooperation and several other sectors but also in the mission to find more staunch friends.
While many leaders of other countries are more focused on embarking on official visits to developed countries and great powers, visits to Central Asian countries may not seem to have a significant impact on economic progress.
During the visit to Central Asia, it can be seen that the prime minister emphasised efforts to increase trade between the two countries with a larger amount of Malaysian exports. Still, it seems that the Prime Minister has other goals in mind.
Anwar was accompanied by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan; Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz; Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar.
Apart from Mohamad who is in charge of maintaining good diplomatic relations with other countries and Tengku Zafrul on matters related to trade and investment, the two other ministers had their own targets during the visit.
Uzbekistan expressed its intention to establish itself as a centre for Islamic studies, particularly in the field of Hadith, since the country is the birthplace of two prominent hadith scholars, namely Imam Bukhari and Imam Tirmidhi.
The prime minister asked Mohd Na'im and the director-general of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) to explore how they can leverage their strengths while Uzbekistan also gains experience from Malaysia.
In Uzbekistan, Anwar also used the opportunity to visit several locations associated with Islamic history and civilisation which are being promoted as tourist attractions.
On the second day, the prime minister and his delegation visited the Imam Hazrati Complex in Tashkent, where the world-famous Quran manuscript of Caliph Uthman Affan (Mashaf Uthmani) – the oldest in the world – is kept and displayed.
The Hazrati Imam Complex is the religious heart of Tashkent with several well-restored mosques, madrasah museums and other pilgrimage sites. It is an architectural monument dating from the 16th to 20th centuries. The complex has a very rich library of oriental manuscripts as well as the world-famous Quran of Caliph Uthman Affan.
Also on the second day, Anwar went to Samarkand, about 300 kilometres from Tashkent, starting by visiting the Imam Bukhari Complex built around the tomb of Imam Bukhari (Imam Bukhari Mausoleum), a famous hadith expert. He then visited the Samarkand Silk Road Complex which, among other things, houses the Eternal City, which accurately recreates the spirit of the ancient city as described in ancient books.
Anwar and the Malaysian delegation were also taken to the Shah-i-Zinda Complex which, among other things, houses the tomb of Kusam ibn Abbas, the cousin of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, who was also one of the earliest preachers to bring Islamic teachings to Uzbekistan.
He also visited the tomb of Amir Temur, the great ruler of the Timurid Empire who initiated the construction of a strong and centralised state and promoted science and culture, and then to Registan Square which houses the Ulugbek Madrasah, one of the world's leading mosques and once the largest scientific study centre in Samarkand.
On the final day in Uzbekistan on Sunday, the prime minister departed for Bukhara where he visited the Naqshbandi Sufi Complex, which includes the tomb of Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari, the founder of the Naqshbandi order, who died in 1389, followed by a visit to the Ark of Bukhara, a massive fortress that was initially built and occupied around the 5th century AD and the Kalon Minaret Complex.
Uzbekistan is Anwar's last stop of his official visit to three Central Asian countries after the Kyrgyz Republic and Kazakhstan.
During the visit, the three countries expressed their aspirations to cooperate in developing the halal industry in their respective countries, with Uzbekistan voicing its intention to cooperate with Jakim to ensure that halal standards in that country reach the level implemented by the department.
The prime minister wants Malaysia to be more aggressive in marketing halal products, which does not only focus on food and beverage products but the entire halal industry.
In terms of tourism, he also wants to see an increase in the arrival of tourists from Central Asian countries to Malaysia; the number of Uzbek tourists to Malaysia reached 25,000 last year compared with only 10,000 the year before.
Anwar, at the conclusion of his visit to Uzbekistan, told Malaysian media that countries such as China, Germany and the United States of America are big investors, and their investments will provide benefits such as job opportunities and training centres of excellence.
However, international relationships and cooperation with developing countries are vital as Malaysia needs staunch friends to avoid being pressured by any powers.
"Therefore, we have good relationships with all powers, but networks with developing countries such as Uzbekistan will greatly assist us as they understand that we have the same approach and strategy," he said.
Anwar also said that all ministers accompanying him to Uzbekistan had achieved their respective targets.– BERNAMA