Chief Minister Receives Courtesy Call from EU Ambassador to Malaysia

5 February 2026

KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor received a courtesy call from the Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Malaysia, His Excellency Rafael Daerr, at his office in Menara Kinabalu on Thursday.

During the meeting, Daerr stressed Sabah’s significant role in EU–Malaysia relations, citing the state’s strategic position in Southeast Asia as well as its strong potential in economic growth, sustainable development and international cooperation.

He also reaffirmed the European Union’s commitment to further strengthening ties with Sabah, building on the positive engagement and solid relations established in recent years.

Hajiji reiterated that the State Government remains open to international cooperation that aligns with Sabah’s development priorities and delivers long-term benefits to the people, particularly in accelerating the state’s development agenda.

In line with the state government’s direction, Hajiji and Daerr exchanged views on potential areas of future cooperation between the EU and Sabah. The discussion focused not only on sustaining existing collaborations but also on exploring new, strategic and high-impact opportunities.

They also discussed the potential to expand cooperation across various sectors, in line with Sabah’s development vision and the shared interests of both parties.

Earlier, Daerr attended the launch of the Sabah Timber Legality Assurance System Plus (Sabah TLAS+) booklet. The system is the first of its kind globally to integrate legal compliance, deforestation-free requirements under the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and voluntary sustainability principles within a single framework.

Later in the day, Hajiji also received a courtesy call from the Consul of the Republic of Korea in Kota Kinabalu, Mr Choi Bongkyu. The visit marked Choi’s first meeting with the Chief Minister since his appointment last November.