PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa honoured.
Ramaphosa was honoured by Malaysia's oldest and most prestigious university, Universiti Malaya with an honorary doctorate in international relations.
The special convocation, which took place in Kuala Lumpur on Monday evening, 27 October, was filled with pride and emotion when Ramaphosa was celebrated for his leadership, commitment to justice and equality and his contribution to global peace and development.
Speaking after receiving the degree, Ramaphosa reflected on the deep historical ties between South Africa and Malaysia, describing them as bonds of kinship, ancestry and shared humanity.
"The bonds that bind our two nations are not only bonds of friendship. They go back hundreds of years. We pay tribute to the people of the Malay-Indonesian archipelago whose exiles, workers and scholars helped build the South African nation," he said.
He spoke passionately about the Cape Malay community's roots in the Malay-Indonesian archipelago and how those early connections shaped South Africa's values of tolerance, dignity and unity.
Ramaphosa said the partnership between South Africa and Malaysia remains vital in the Global South, with both countries leading key international forums, South Africa in the G20 and Malaysia in ASEAN.
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"At a time of global disorder. We must revive the spirit of Bandung to chart a new path for our shared future," he said.
The president also praised Malaysia's solidarity with Palestine, thanking Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for supporting South Africa's genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
"We pay tribute to the principled solidarity of the people of Malaysia with the oppressed and suffering people of Palestine," Ramaphosa said.
He condemned the ongoing violence in Gaza, saying the ceasefire must be respected and calling for a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders.
"The assaults on Gaza and the West Bank must stop and stop immediately. The world must act to restore the dignity of the Palestinian people," he declared.
As he wrapped up his address, Ramaphosa called for stronger cooperation between South Africa and Malaysia in education, trade and climate justice, built on peace, solidarity and shared progress.
"From the struggle for freedom to a new chapter of partnership, our two nations remain united in destiny," he said.
