Obama In First US-Malaysia Visit For 48 Years

Barack Obama became the first US president since Lyndon Johnson in 1966 to visit Malaysia when he touched down in the Asian country on Saturday.

His visit to the predominantly Malaysian country was the third-leg of a four-nation Asia tour with the aim of strengthening links with friendly countries.

With so much diplomatic focus having elsewhere in recent months, Mr Obama aims to "rebalance" US attention towards the strategic Asia-Pacific region and push a stalled regional trade pact.

He was met by the King of Malaysia Abdul Halim and Prime Minister Najib Razak, in front of a line of Malaysian ceremonial guards.

The missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 both exposed and reinforced Malaysia's relations with the US, which offered some technical help in the search for the jet.

Soon after arriving, Mr Obama offered further support, the country's transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said.

Mr Obama walks with Malaysia's King Halim and Prime Minister Razak

Mr Hishammuddin said: "He said he knows it is a tough, long, road ahead. We'll work together. There is always support." 

In earlier visits to allies Japan and South Korea, the US leader was forced to deal with the crisis in Ukraine, a faltering Middle East peace process, and North Korea.

Washington wants to improve its relationship with moderate-Muslim Malaysia and, in particular, is keen to overturn perceptions that it is anti-Islamic.

Relations were acrimonious during the 1981-2003 tenure of authoritarian leader Mahathir Mohamad, a harsh critic of US policies.

But trade ties remained solid and Prime Minister Najib Razak is seeking a closer relationship, including on defence.

The US President decends from the steps of Air Force One

Malaysia is among several nations with competing territorial claims in the South China Sea, where Beijing's assertiveness has sparked alarm.

Mr Obama has spoken about his desire to maintain "freedom of navigation in critical waterways" and to ensure nations "play by the same rules" - a clear reference to China.

But Malaysia also is a close trading partner of China and disagrees with aspects of Obama's Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, which also has met resistance in Japan.

The president is expected to try to ease Malaysian concerns on the TPP when he meets Mr Najib on Sunday.

Protests have been taking place in Kuala Lumpur ahead of Mr Obama's visit about both America's 'War On Terror' and support for the TPP.    

In Malaysia, Mr Obama will have to tread a line between courting Najib and acknowledging the huge numbers in the multi-cultural nation who are fed up with the corruption-plagued coalition in power for 57 years.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim called the government a "corrupt and authoritarian regime" in a statement Saturday, urging Mr Obama to stand up for "freedom and democracy."

He leaves Monday morning for the Philippines.

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Obama In First US-Malaysia Visit For 48 Years

Dengan url

http://wantekkepek.blogspot.com/2014/04/obama-in-first-us-malaysia-visit-for-48.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Obama In First US-Malaysia Visit For 48 Years

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Obama In First US-Malaysia Visit For 48 Years

sebagai sumbernya