`Obama's visit a recognition for Malaysia'

KUALA LUMPUR: United States president Barack Obama's visit to Malaysia is a recognition of its successful development efforts, said Malaysia's Special Envoy to the United States, Datuk Seri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis.
He said the visit was also seen as an honour by a large nation for Malaysia as an Islamic nation.
"This is an honour to the people of Malaysia because a large nation recognises us, an Islamic nation. At last, there is recognition by the world for the national development efforts by the government since independence," he said when interviewed in the "Ruang Bicara" programme broadcast by BernamaTV, here, yesterday.
Obama's visit to Malaysia will be the first by a sitting president of the United States in 48 years, after the last visit by Lyndon B. Johnson in 1966.
"His visit to Malaysia is definitely because of the successes of the nation in terms of the economy, peace and good democratic system," Jamaluddin said, stressing that Obama's visit should not be politicised, but should be viewed positively.
Jamaluddin also rapped the opposition which was seen as deliberately trying to raise a controversy when questioning the absence of a slot for opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to meet Obama.
He stressed that Obama's presence in Malaysia on April 26 to 28 was on official business and it was not appropriate for the opposition to politicise the matter.
In the one-hour interview with Dahlan Maamor titled Malaysia's Significance On The World Stage', Jamaluddin also touched on the role Malaysia wanted to play in correcting the negative perception of Western societies on Islam.
He said, Obama's openness on Islam was seen by Malaysia as an opportunity to help change the perception on Islam as an extreme and radical religion.
The effort, he said, was in line with the move by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in introducing the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM), which among others stressed on world understanding to reject any form of extremism.
"So, when Obama comes here, we want him to see Malaysia as an example of a moderate Muslim nation, which is acceptable to the world and using the multi-racial people of Malaysia living peacefully together as a symbol of the true Islam and simultaneously do away with the negative perception of the world towards Islam," he said.
Jamaluddin was also confident with Obama's social background growing up in a Muslim community environment, the American president would better understand Islam, and subsequently use his position to correct the negative perception on the religion.
Touching on the diplomatic relations between Malaysia and the United States, Jamaluddin said more engagements must be made, not only by the government, but also numerous other local quarters to introduce Malaysia to the United States.
He said, Malaysia needed a new shift to boost its name in the United States because it would be greatly beneficial socially, economically and also politically.
Touching on the economic benefits, Malaysian entrepreneurs, according to Jamaluddin, must grab the opportunity to control the halal product sector which had a major potential in the United States.
"From the Islamic aspect, the United States records a steep increase in the number of people who embrace Islam, meaning, halal products have a high demand.
"Because we have a halal hub and halal industry which are already matured, I suggest capable local entrepreneurs look at these opportunities in the United States," he said.
In addition, he said the position of Malaysia as chairman of Asean next year would place it in a unique spot especially in the aspect of the diplomatic role which it could play to bring together the nations of the world, specifically the United States and China, he said.
Jamaluddin said among the items which might be brought up was the procedure to apply for visa to visit the United States.
"After the September 11 incident, there are many obstacles for Malaysians who want to visit the United States. We want to them to review the conditions for visa applications," he said. – Bernama