Bilateral Political Relations

After the establishment of diplomatic relations, however, there were no intensive contacts between the political leadership of the two countries due to ideological differences. With the change of regime in Hungary in 1989-90 the obstacles to the enhancement of bilateral relations have vanished.

The official visit of President Árpád Göncz in Malaysia in 1993 was the first contact between the two nations’ Head of State. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Ja’afar ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman and the Raja Permaisuri Agong reciprocated the visit of the Hungarian President in 1997.

The political and economic reforms in Hungary attracted great interest from the Malaysian leaders. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad’s first official visit to Hungary was in July 1987. Following the negotiations between the two Prime Ministers the establishment of the legal background for co-operation was initiated.

During the visit of the Hungarian Prime Minister in Malaysia in April 1997 mainly the questions of trade and investment was discussed. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad reciprocated this visit in the same year.

With these three visits a new era of enhanced bilateral relations started in 1997.

During the visit of Dr. Mahathir in Budapest the Agreement on Co-operation between Multimedia Development Corporation and Budapest Infopark Inc was signed and the first meeting of the newly established intergovernmental Joint Committee took place.

The Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly led a parliamentary delegation to Kuala Lumpur in 1996, being the first highest-level contact between the national Parliaments. Delegation of the Malaysian Parliament reciprocated the visit in early 2003 led by the Vice-President of the Senate. Katalin Szili the Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly visited Malaysia in 2004 to meet with her distinguished counterpart, Tun Dato' Seri Dr. Mohamed Zahir bin Haji Ismail and the president of the Senate of the Parliament of Malaysia.

Over the years many meetings have been held at ministerial level. As a result several agreements have been signed, establishing the legal basis for bilateral co-operation in many areas.

Agreement on Trade Development
(Signed: 2nd February, 1970; in force: 18th March, 1970)

Agreement on avoiding double taxation
(Signed: 22nd May, 1989; in force: 25th December, 1992)

Agreement on Exchange of Information between MTI and Bernama
(Signed: 7th October, 1992; in force: 7th October, 1992)

Agreement on Aviation
(Signed: 19th February, 1993; in force: 6th July, 1994)

Agreement on Facilitating and Protecting Investments
(Signed: 19th February, 1993; in force: 8th July, 1995)

Agreements on Abolishment of Visas
(Signed: 19th February, 1993; in force: 20th April, 1993)

Agreement on Co-operation of Science and Technology
(Signed: 21st April, 1997; in force: 6th June, 1993)

Agreement between Academic Research Institutes
(Signed: 11th May, 1998; in force: 11th May, 1998)