Malaysia optimistic trade with Uzbekistan will pick up, says envoy
TASHKENT: Malaysia is optimistic about a potential increase in trade with Uzbekistan, as both countries work to deepen cooperation in new areas such as halal certification, Islamic finance, tourism and green technology.
In an interview with Bernama and RTM, here, Malaysian ambassador to Uzbekistan Ilham Tuah Illias acknowledged a recent drop in trade volume, mainly due to import tax on palm oil. However, he expressed confidence in a potential turnaround.
'We are hopeful that trade will pick up, if both governments can agree to waive or continue waiving the (import) tax on Malaysian palm oil. This would enable Uzbek retailers here to resume sourcing their palm oil supply from Malaysia,' he said.
In 2024, Malaysia-Uzbekistan trade reached RM369.8 million, making Uzbekistan Malaysia's second-largest trading partner in Central Asia. The trade balance was in Malaysia's favour at RM360.3 million. From January to April 2025, trade between both countries reached RM106 million.
Major exports from Malaysia to Uzbekistan include palm oil, coffee, palm-based oleochemical, margarine and shortening, processed food and coconut oil. Imports from Uzbekistan comprise mainly fertilisers, fruits and textiles.
Ilham Tuah said the 5% tax on Malaysian palm oil is being reconsidered by Uzbek authorities. A continued exemption could significantly boost Malaysia's exports.
'We hope this move will encourage Uzbek buyers to continue to source their supply from Malaysia. Discussions between the relevant authorities in both countries will be essential in finding a mutually beneficial solution,' he added.
The ambassador emphasised the importance of raising public awareness in Uzbekistan about the health benefits of palm oil. 'We must continue educating the Uzbek people about the nutritional value of palm oil and counter the negative narratives promoted by certain parties.'
On the tourism front, Ilham Tuah highlighted that over 15,000 Uzbek tourists visited Malaysia last year – a significant increase from previous years, driven by enhanced air connectivity, including direct flights by Batik Air and Uzbekistan Airways. 'This improved connectivity benefits not only tourists but also students from Uzbekistan. Many are drawn to Malaysia's beaches, as Uzbekistan is a landlocked country.'
He also noted a growing interest among Malaysian travellers in Uzbekistan, particularly for spiritual tourism.
'Many Malaysians visit Uzbekistan particularly for spiritual reasons. They love to explore the Imam Al Bukhari Mausoleum, which is currently under renovation. Once completed, it is expected to become a favourite destination for Malaysians,' he added.
Ilham Tuah noted strong interest in Malaysian halal certification in Uzbekistan, and said the Malaysian Islamic Development Department has signed a memorandum of understanding with the relevant Uzbek authorities to strengthen cooperation in halal certification efforts. 'This collaboration will help local products meet Malaysian halal standards, potentially opening access to broader markets that recognise our certification.'
To facilitate smoother trade and investment, both countries are exploring the possibility of establishing a preferential trade agreement.
Ilham Tuah said with such a framework, Malaysia could send semifinished goods for final processing in Uzbekistan, which has access to markets in the European Union and Eurasia.
'It's a win-win for both sides. A preferential trade agreement between Malaysia and Uzbekistan is something we are actively considering ... so the relevant agencies of both countries should meet up to discuss and explore this further,' he added.
Ilham Tuah also noted the growing demand in halal consumer goods and Muslimah fashion.
'Muslimah fashion is making a strong comeback here. So I encourage Malaysian women entrepreneurs to engage with their counterparts here. There is huge demand here for Muslimah fashion, cosmetics and halal products,' he concluded. – Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Barnama
30 minutes ago
- Barnama
24 Evacuated From Iran Arrive Safely In Malaysia
SEPANG, June 22 (Bernama) -- A total of 24 individuals, including 17 Malaysians, who were evacuated from Iran following escalating conflict in the country, have safely returned home. Malaysia Airlines flight MH781 carrying the evacuees landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 at 11.03 pm. They were welcomed by the Foreign Ministry's Deputy Secretary-General (Bilateral Affairs), Datuk Ahmad Rozian Abd Ghani. The group comprised 17 Malaysians, six Iranian dependents of Malaysian citizens, and one Singaporean national. Malaysia's Ambassador to Iran, Khairi Omar, who led the group, told the media they had to travel by land for about 1,000 kilometres to exit Tehran. 'We chose a route away from the source of the attacks, which were coming from the west, so we headed east. Alhamdulillah, we received strong cooperation from the Turkmenistan government, which allowed foreign nationals to cross the border,' he said. He added that around 12 Malaysians were still in Iran and Wisma Putra was closely monitoring their situation to ensure their safety and well-being. According to a statement from Wisma Putra, all 24 individuals crossed the Iran–Turkmenistan border on June 21, 2025, and boarded a Turkmenistan Airlines flight T5 647 on June 22, 2025, to Bangkok, Thailand, before continuing their journey on Malaysia Airlines flight MH781 to Kuala Lumpur. The evacuation, coordinated by the Malaysian Embassy in Tehran, involved a 1,120-kilometre land journey to the Iran-Turkmenistan border. The Malaysian embassies in Ashgabat and Bangkok also facilitated flight arrangements from Ashgabat to Malaysia.
New Straits Times
32 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
12 Malaysians still in Iran, Wisma Putra monitoring closely
SEPANG: At least 12 Malaysians are still in Iran and are being closely monitored by Malaysian authorities following the successful evacuation of its citizens and their dependents over the weekend. Malaysian Ambassador to Iran Khairi Omar, who led the evacuation mission, said the remaining individuals include students and Malaysians married to Iranian nationals, currently residing in various parts of the country including Tehran and Shiraz. "We are keeping track of their whereabouts and ensuring they are safe. "Should the situation permit and they choose to leave, we will assist them," he said during a press conference at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) late Sunday night. Khairi had accompanied 24 evacuees, comprising 17 Malaysians, six Iranian dependents, and a Singaporean, who arrived safely in Kuala Lumpur after a gruelling 1,000km overland journey from Tehran to the Turkmenistan border. He said the group spent the night at the border before flying out of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan and transiting in Thailand en route to Malaysia. "We were on the road for over 24 hours. It was a long and challenging journey, but Alhamdulillah, everything went smoothly," he said. Khairi said they decided to use an eastern land route was made to avoid areas of conflict in the west, following heightened tensions due to Israeli strikes on Iranian targets. This, he said, as the evacuation involved multiple checkpoints and long delays due to the high number of foreign nationals also attempting to leave the country, but praised the cooperation from the Iranian and Turkmen authorities in facilitating the border crossing. He added that communication with Malaysians in Iran remained difficult, with roaming services restricted and messaging apps like WhatsApp heavily affected during the conflict. "We made do with old-school SMS messaging, which still worked locally. It wasn't easy, but we managed to stay in contact," he said. Reflecting on the initial days of the conflict, Khairi said the embassy had not anticipated the intensity or speed of the escalation. "Many were caught off guard. The nights were tense with retaliatory strikes, but during the day there seemed to be a pattern of restraint," he said. On Saturday, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan ordered the temporary closure of the Malaysian embassy in Iran, directing embassy staff in the country to return home immediately. Mohamad said that many other foreign missions have done the same following the latest developments in the Middle East involving Israel. The United States announced its entry into the Iran-Israel conflict earlier, stating that it has carried out attacks on three Iranian nuclear sites, including the underground uranium enrichment facility at Fordow.
Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Consumer body cuts ties with deregistered Ikhlas
Nadzim Johan, chief activist of PPIM, said the association did not want to work with illegal NGOs. PETALING JAYA : A consumer body has said it would no longer work with Ikhlas, a society for small-time entrepreneurs, after learning it had been deregistered three years ago. The Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) said it had no idea that Ikhlas had been deregistered when jointly presenting a memorandum to the home ministry recently, according to the Scoop website. 'We do not want the public to question our credibility for joining forces with an NGO that has been deregistered,' PPIM chief activist Nadzim Johan was quoted as saying. 'Nor do we want to work with illegal NGOs. There are other NGOs whom we could work with.' On Friday, the Registrar of Societies confirmed that Ikhlas was deregistered in November 2022 for failing to submit annual financial statements. The society, which had listed former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad as its patron, was led by Ridzuan Abdullah, who is also on the secretariat of Gabungan Ikhlas Malaysia, a group which issued statements in early January on the addendum linked to Najib Razak. Ridzuan recently claimed that the NGO did not receive any notice about its deregistration, and also stated that the Covid-19 pandemic made it difficult for Ikhlas to hold meetings and submit its financial statements. Two years ago, it was reported that Ridzuan had been charged with 12 counts of filing fraudulent claims totalling RM378,000 to the Social Security Organisation to obtain incentives from the Penjana Kerjaya 2.0 Programme.
