“We have outstanding MoUs that we have agreed to accelerate, resolve and then hopefully sign during the commission meeting,” he told a joint press conference with the Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr here today.

During the discussion with Marcos earlier, Anwar said they discussed a slight increase in bilateral trade but there was still a huge potential that should be explored by both parties.

“Both business communities should interact more and jointly take measures to help resuscitate the economy post-Covid.

“We also mentioned the potential for the halal industry for both countries. We will certainly do our utmost in terms of the issue of certification, but jointly we should undertake some effective measures to ensure that the halal industry can penetrate more effectively into the Middle Eastern market in particular,” he said.

Meanwhile, Marcos said the October meeting would be an avenue for agencies from both governments to discuss priority cooperation in detail, especially in the areas of transnational crime, agriculture, halal industry, Islamic banking, education, tourism and culture, sports and the digital economy.

“Building on our bilateral relations, our governments commit to closely coordinate efforts to build capacity in the Bangsamoro autonomous region in southern Philippines, in Muslim Mindanao, especially in sectors such as the halal industry, Islamic banking and food security.”

Marcos said Malaysia had also offered its expertise to train Philippine personnel and officials to strengthen their capabilities in these increasingly important sectors.

“We also agreed to enhance our trade and investment ties with each other, with Malaysia being one of the leading halal economies in the world,” he said.