Obama in KL: Obama visit elevates US-Malaysia partnership

KUALA LUMPUR: United States President Barack Obama concluded his historic visit to Malaysia today, with both the nation’s leaders setting the tone to elevate bilateral ties to a comprehensive partnership and to advance the countries’ common interests and shared values of the people.

To mark this new phase of comprehensive partnership, both nations are committed to further strengthening dialogue mechanisms in key areas which include political and diplomatic, trade and investment, education and people-to-people ties, security and defence cooperation as well as collaboration in the environment, science, technology and energy fields.

The commitment also extends to reinvigorating the Malaysia–US Senior Officials Dialogue as a key forum in the implementation of the comprehensive partnership through regular consultations.

Obama’s visit to Malaysia is the first by a sitting American president since Lyndon B. Johnson made his trip in 1966.

Obama was accorded a red carpet welcome at the Parliament House Saturday, honoured in a state dinner Saturday night and had scheduled meetings Sunday with Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and young Southeast Asian leaders in a town hall session.

The American leader also visited the National Mosque in Malaysia’s capital Saturday and launched jointly with Najib the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC) in Cyberjaya, a smart city which hosts some 800 ICT and non-ICT firms, including 43 multinational corporations.

Malaysia is the third stop in Obama’s four-nation tour of Asia, which started in Japan followed by South Korea. The president left on the last leg of his tour, to the Philippines on Monday.

Najib noted that Obama’s presence in Malaysia marked “the beginning of the next phase of our partnership – with deeper friendship and a more comprehensive partnership.”

Obama and Najib applauded the progress made so far in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations and reaffirmed their commitment to resolve the remaining issues and conclude the high-level agreement as soon as possible.

During their meetings, Obama and Najib acknowledged the importance of peace and stability for mutual security and economic prosperity.

They exchanged views on recent developments in the South China Sea and affirmed the importance of safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation and over flight throughout the region, including critical waterways in the South China Sea.

The leaders also underscored the importance of resolving all territorial and maritime disputes by all parties concerned through peaceful means, including international arbitration in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

President Obama also welcomed Malaysia’s commitment to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction with the endorsement of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) Statement of Interdiction Principles.

On Malaysia’s upcoming chairmanship of ASEAN in 2015, Obama expressed confidence that under Malaysia’s stewardship, the regional grouping would further its ambition of economic integration.

Obama also commended Malaysia’s leading role in facilitating the Southern Philippines Bangsamoro peace process which led to the recent signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

Reflecting Obama and Najib’s shared aspiration to enhance people-to-people interaction first discussed in 2010, the two leaders celebrated the success of the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) programme and decided to extend the programme for another three years.

Najib meanwhile thanked Obama for agreeing to consider Malaysia’s participation in the Visa Waiver Programme, which allow citizens of participating countries to travel to the US without a visa for stays of up to 90 days.

As a first step, the US has committed to provide technical briefings on security requirements and information sharing agreements this year.

There are currently 37 countries which enjoy the benefits of the programme, including Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, Taiwan and Japan.

At a joint news conference Sunday, Najib expressed his gratitude for the US unwavering support in the search for missing Malaysia Airline flight MH370 while Obama pledged to continue providing all assistance possible for the mission.

Acknowledging the massive challenges and efforts required by the search operation, Obama said the Malaysian authorities were working tirelessly to find the aircraft.

“I can’t speak for all the countries in the region but I can say that the US and other partners have found the Malaysian government eager for assistance, and fully forthcoming with us in terms of the information they have,” said Obama.

Flight MH370, with 239 people aboard, left the KL International Airport at 12.41 am on March 8 and disappeared from radar screens about an hour later while over the South China Sea. It was to have arrived in Beijing at 6.30 am the same day.

A multinational search was mounted for the Boeing 777-200 aircraft, first in the South China Sea and then, after it was learnt that the plane had veered off course, in the southern Indian Ocean.

After an analysis of satellite data indicated that the plane’s last position was in the middle of the Indian Ocean, west of Perth, Australia, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib  Razak announced on March 24 that Flight MH370 had “ended in the southern Indian Ocean”.

The search continues there.–BERNAMA

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak (left) and President Barack Obama watches John G. Rice, vice chairman of GE and president CEO of GE Global Growth and Operation (seated, right) and AirAsia Group CEO Tan Sri Tony Fernandes participate in the MoU signing at Ritz Carlton Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. AP Photo

Obama in KL: Obama visit elevates US-Malaysia partnership