PETALING JAYA, 17 Jan 2009: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today departed for an official visit to three Gulf countries.
The executive jet carrying Abdullah and wife Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah took off from the air force base in Subang at 12.55pm.
Abdullah will kick off the official visit in Bahrain tomorrow, followed by a two-day visit to Qatar and United Arab Emirates (UAE), in a move to further strengthen Malaysia’s ties with these countries.
This is Abdullah’s first visit to the three Gulf nations as premier.
Several cabinet ministers, senior government officials and corporate leaders accompanied Abdullah during the visit.
Abdullah was scheduled to visit several projects undertaken by Malaysian companies and also deliver keynote addresses at business forums in Bahrain and Qatar.
Among the major projects in Bahrain are the RM560 million Formula One racing circuit and the RM1.9 billion Bahrain City Centre project.
In Qatar, Malaysian companies are in the process of completing the construction of Doha’s international airport valued at RM1.9 billion.
In UAE, the construction of the five towers project in Al Reem Island, worth RM1.3 billion, is scheduled for completion in September. — Bernama
