Malaysian PM to receive Bahrain’s highest award

Manama : Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Tun Razak, will become the first foreign leader to be conferred with Bahrain’s King Hamad Order for Development on Friday. 

Star Online, in a report quoting Malaysian ambassador to Bahrain Agus Salim Yusof, said “This is the first time the country’s highest award will be conferred on a foreign leader.”

The Prime Minister, according to the report, will be conferred the King Hamad Order for Development by King Hamad Isa Al Khalifa at the Shaikh Hamad Palace

The award was created two years ago and the past recipients were all Bahrainis.

 The report further states that Najib is scheduled to arrive in Bahrain today for a three-day official visit and is accompanied by his wife Rosmah Mansor and Defence Minister and Minister of Special Functions Hishammuddin Tun Hussein. 

Najib will hold discussion with HM the King before the award ceremony that will also see Hishammuddin receiving the country’s Medal of First Degree from the Ruler, the report said.

 The visit, Star Online said, is at the invitation of King Hamad, who made a state visit to Malaysia from April 30 to May 3 this year.

Agus also told Star Online that Najib would be the only foreign leader invited to attend the country’s National Day celebration at Sakhir Palace on Saturday in the presence of King Hamad. 

The ambassador described the Kuala Lumpur-Manama relationship as at an all-time high since both countries established diplomatic ties in 1974. 

The report quoting Agus also revealed that Gulf Air is expected to resume flights from Manama to Kuala Lumpur and vice-versa from the middle of next year after its flight operations for the route ceased in 2012. 

Najib is scheduled to leave for Sri Lanka on Sunday.