The Malaysian High Commission in Sri Lanka started operations Thursday at its new location in Colombo 7, after having been at Colombo 3 for 15 years, BERNAMA news agency said.

The Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, officially opened the new office at No 8, Rosmead Place, Colombo 7, at a brief ceremony that included the reciting of prayers and the playing of the Malaysian national anthem.

A delegation from Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), which is on a six-day fact-finding mission to Sri Lanka, also attended the event.

The Malaysian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Wan Zaidi Wan Abdullah, said the previous office had been at No 33, Bagatalle Road, Colombo 3, since 2001.

The telephone and fascimile numbers of the mission remain the same, he added.

Malaysia established its high commission in Sri Lanka in 1965 and it operated from Galle Face before moving to several other locations, including Alfred Place and Ward Place up to 1986.

From 1987, the mission operated from Horton Palace, then moved to Jawatta Road in 1991, Kynsey Road in 1993 and Bagatalle Road in 2001.