Dialogue with the Ambassador Extraordinary & Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Turkmenistan to Malaysia- H.E. Mr. Muhammetnyyaz Mashalow
We were honoured to visit His Excellency Ambassador H.E. Mr. Muhammetniyaz Mashalov and the First Secretary, at the Embassy of the Republic of Turkmenistan to Malaysia.
The event began with a warm welcome by His Excellency, followed by an opening speech delivered by our President, Mr. Martin Ang. The meeting was attended by 8 representatives from 5 of our member companies.
The meeting proceeded with each company representative delivering a brief 2-3 minute introduction, followed by a question to His Excellency. It was an engaging open dialogue session, during which His Excellency and First Secretary answered all the questions posed by our members.
In the closing segment of the meeting, our President Martin Ang, presented His Excellency with a copy of the MCMTC Book and apprised His Excellency of the upcoming MCMTC–ASEANplus++ event in November, titled WiEX 2025.
Key takeaways:
- Turkmenistan has a national population of approximately 6.5 million, with its capital city, Ashgabat, home to an estimated 1 million residents.
- Turkmenistan’s economy is reliant on its vast reserves of natural gas and oil, making the sector a key contributor to its GDP and exports.
- Turkmen cuisine emphasizes whole, natural ingredients. The local preference leans toward minimally spiced food. Meat—particularly lamb and beef—is often broiled or cooked without strong seasoning.
- The ambassador also shared that, unlike other Central Asian nations, Turkmenistan does not traditionally consume horse meat or horse milk. The Akhal-Teke horse, one of the rarest and most highly prized horse breeds in the world, is featured as a symbol of freedom on Turkmenistan’s national coat of arms.
- The Turkmenistan government is currently planning its next stage of urban transportation development: the construction of a metro system in its capital city, Ashgabat.
- The Ambassador encouraged MCMTC to establish direct links with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan to facilitate business matching, trade missions, and joint initiatives.
