KOSOVO PRESIDENT PAYS RESPECTS AT TUN ABDULLAH’S GRAVE

KUALA LUMPUR, May 3 (Bernama) -- Kosovo President Dr Vjosa Osmani today paid her respects at the Warriors’ Mausoleum here, where former Malaysian prime ministers and other national leaders were laid to rest, as part of her four-day official visit to Malaysia, which began on Thursday.

Osmani's visit to the mausoleum, located within the compound of the National Mosque, included a moment of reflection at the grave of Malaysia’s fifth prime minister, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who died on April 14.

She was accompanied by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek, the minister in attendance. Also present were the late Abdullah’s son, Tan Sri Kamaluddin Abdullah, and daughter, Nori Abdullah.

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The visit symbolised Kosovo’s gratitude for Malaysia’s steadfast support during its state-building journey, particularly under Abdullah’s leadership, and highlighted the shared values of peace, unity and mutual respect between the two nations.

Yesterday, Osmani posthumously awarded Abdullah Kosovo’s highest state honour, the Order of Independence, recognising his dedication to peace and freedom in Kosovo as well as his unwavering support for the country's independence and state-building efforts.

The award was received by Abdullah's son-in-law and former Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

Earlier, Osmani also visited the National Mosque and the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM), underscoring the cultural significance of Kosovo’s engagement with Malaysia.

During the museum visit, she explored the gallery titled “Oceans That Speak: Islam and the Emergence of the Malay World”, which highlighted the spread of Islam across maritime Southeast Asia and its cultural and civilisational impact on the Malay Archipelago.

The National Mosque is a key symbol of Malaysia’s religious and national identity, while the IAMM, which was established in 1998, is the largest museum of its kind in Southeast Asia.

The cultural programme demonstrated part of her wider agenda to strengthen bilateral relations, which included the official opening of the Embassy of Kosovo in Kuala Lumpur and high-level discussions with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim yesterday.

During a joint press conference yesterday, both countries agreed to deepen cooperation in key areas such as trade, education, tourism and culture, while also enhancing people-to-people ties through student exchanges and university partnerships.

Malaysia officially recognised Kosovo on Oct 30, 2008, becoming one of the first Asian countries to do so. Diplomatic relations were formally established on March 18, 2011.

-- BERNAMA