BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 12. Malaysia and Turkmenistan have discussed prospects for strengthening customs cooperation and facilitating bilateral trade.
This was announced by the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (RMCD) in a statement published on June 10 following a courtesy visit by Turkmenistan's Ambassador to Malaysia, Muhammetnazar Mashalov, to Director-General of Customs Dato' Haji Amran bin Haji Ahmad at the RMCD headquarters in Putrajaya.
"The Royal Malaysian Customs Department (RMCD) has received a courtesy call from H.E. Mr. Muhammetnyyaz Mashalov, Ambassador of Turkmenistan to Malaysia, to YBhg. Dato’ Haji Amran bin Haji Ahmad, Director General of Customs at the RMCD Headquarters, Putrajaya," the statement says.
According to the RMCD, the discussions covered trade facilitation, the simplification of customs procedures and efforts to further strengthen relations between the countries.
The department said that Amran welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed Malaysia's commitment to expanding cooperation with Turkmenistan.
"RMCD will continue to strengthen cooperative relations with Turkmenistan on a mutually beneficial basis, particularly in the areas of trade and customs administration," the statement says.
The department also noted that the visit reflects its continued commitment to expanding international cooperation networks and enhancing strategic relations with customs partners and foreign agencies to improve the efficiency of global trade facilitation.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced plans to visit Turkmenistan in mid-June to sign an agreement expected to provide PETRONAS with access to one of the world’s largest natural gas fields, the press office of the Malaysian PM says in its press-release published on June 7.
For reference, PETRONAS has maintained a presence in Turkmenistan since July 1996, when it became the first foreign company to sign a production-sharing agreement (PSA) for offshore Block I in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea. The block includes the Magtymguly, Diyarbekir, and Garagol-Deniz fields and remains one of the country’s key offshore energy assets. This year also marked two decades of cooperation between Turkmenistan and PETRONAS in the gas processing sector.
In May 2025, PETRONAS signed a new long-term agreement for Block I, extending its operations in Turkmenistan through 2050. Under the updated arrangement, the offshore project currently produces around 400 million cubic feet of natural gas per day and has access to more than 7 trillion cubic feet of gas resources.
