Eight years ago, when the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad wanted to wangle a meeting with United States President Bush in the White House, lobbyist Jack Abramov had to be tapped and it cost RM4.6 million.
Eight years later, to wangle a meeting with United States President Barack Obama for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, RM77 million had to be spent to engage publicity consultancy agency APCO.
Let me ask a straightforward question: What did Malaysia get from the US side in the trip of the Malaysian Prime Minister to the United States? Thus far there does not appear to have been much apart from the 40 minute conversation with Obama and some other meetings with US officials. Perhaps the most direct benefit was in terms of a photo op and image projection at home in Malaysia.
Washington Post today in its report about the nuclear summit and about Obama seeking global help in sanctioning, as this to say:
“Obama also met Monday with Prime Minister Najib Razak of Malaysia. As a condition for Najib attending the summit, the Obama administration demanded that the Malaysian government adopt stricter import and export controls to prevent the country from being used as a transshipment point for smuggled nuclear materials and technology, officials said. “
Is it correct that Malaysia has succumbed to pressure from the United States?
The Deputy Foreign Minister, in his reply, should clarify this as well as other questions raised by Najib’s visit, including:
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Caning – the settlement of the Kartika caning issue was crucial and done earlier via diplomatic channels after the US had pulled up Putrajaya sharply.
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The trafficking issue statement which was raised in the Senate was also crucial.
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The joining of the TransPacific Partnership. This was a recognition de facto that an FTA could not happen, but the Malaysians are staying at the table. I understand that the Malaysian Ambassador to the United States, Datuk Seri Jamaluddin Jarjis is pushing for a mutual investment agreement, but this is not going to actually benefit much.
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The Iran issue was from the US side of critical importance. It would appear that Malaysia will allow some checks on the flow of capital from there. This was crucial for the US. This could impact on Petronas.
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Agreement to work with the new Obama non-proliferation framework, in short to get a personal meeting, the Malaysians delivered on many fronts.
The Prime Minister delivered a speech at the Seminar on “U.S.-Malaysia Relations: Looking Ahead at Key Pillars of Cooperation” organised by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Washington DC & Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia.
This is the comments from a Malaysian who had heard the Prime Minister’s speech:
“I am left underwhelmed by this oration. There is nothing about vision or even a coherent theme. It is essentially a rehash of recent pronouncements and a repetition of slogans many of which are either stale or hardly of interest to an audience in Washington DC.
“The first part, the so-called international part, is largely silent about the state of the global economy, something that should be of concern to a small open economy such as Malaysia. There is nothing about global financial re-engineering that is needed. He could have easily made mention of the G20 and how it is attempting to bring about a transition to a more equitable global system of economic governance. What role does Malaysia wish to play; what does it propose to contribute? He could have taken the high road by wishing to call for an open trading environment and to urge that the big powers do not slip towards protectionism. While lamenting the failure to agree on a FTA, what alternatives are there? What does Malaysia seek? How will it move forward?
“Mahathir would have used the occasion to bash the West to catch the headlines for the wrong reasons. Najib should have attempted a very different approach by being bold in arguing the case for reform both globally and domestically.
“The second part of the speech is rather wishy-washy. All those abbreviations are fine but where is the substance. What are the means that will be employed to get to the goals and to escape the “middle income trap”? He missed an opportunity to elaborate on a whole slew of issues and failed to address the skeptics. No attempt was made to counter the bad press Malaysia enjoys as regards human rights, the breakdown in the rule of law, the perverted judicial system and the increasing intolerance. He did not attempt even in a modest way to assert that Malaysia aspires to remain a moderate Islamic state contrary to what the international media project. He could have mentioned the Inter-Faith dialogue that is planned.
“This is not the speech of a reformer or a visionary leader. It is more the speech of a bureaucrat who is somewhat lost and is fumbling after a year in office. Alas, APCO has failed him by not guiding him to speak about issues that are high on the list of friends of Malaysia.”
Finally, let the Deputy Foreign Minister explain whether the ridiculous launching of the Malaysia-United States (Congressional) Caucus in Washington for yesterday had gone on as scheduled or postponed as I had suggested so that we do not become an international laughing stock.
[Speech on the Foreign Ministry committee stage of the 2010 Supplementary estimates on Thursday, 15th April 2010]
No lah. Chengho showed them his incomplete ketuanan and they simply caved in and immediately arranged the meeting between jib and ob, with dinner and guided tour for ros thrown in.
But seriously, as LKS hv said above, I agree that the whole event is strictly umno’s shiok sendiri event. Obama may not realise it but really, jib and gang of frogs were having mass orgy in washington.
What bothers me was the money spent. Our money spent.
Obama my man confirm visiting KL next year…
Mr. President I am really appalled by the fact that one has to pay, not a small sum mind you, in order to meet with you. I am hoping that, Mr. President, you can clarify whether this is true. Did China, Russia or any other country make such a monetary arrangement to meet with you?
Continue reading at
Open Letter To President Obama – #2
GE 13 – Change The Federal Government No matter what, we must ensure that racist umno bn do not regain the power like they had for over the past fifty two years.
Uncle Lim, while this US fanatic is spending tens of millions of RM to meet the US president, the water pipes in Malaysia are left to leak!
They have been leaking for decades and nobody bothers!
The pipes near my place which is about twenty minutes’ walk from the Golden Triangle, KL leak every two months – like clockwork!
And every time it happens, the water stoppage will last for at least a day and long after repairs, the water will still be very muddy.
So, that is how the money went?
No money to replace water pipes but millions to improve his image overseas?
Najib should stop wasting taxpayers’ money.
//Obama my man confirm visiting KL next year…
chapchengho my man is appointed by najis to be obama’s official ball carrier next year. payment for his service dued.
Our Hanjin Chengho, a mama topper, will be selected to welcome President OhMama with his damn stinky as*…. F&@#K your ancestors deeply for this damn running dog whose skin will be skinned off pretty soon…. Need not be happy….
Obama will come to see the eunuchs in Malaysia.
Najib and UtusanUmno are against USA in words but they are dying to meet American leaders. What hypocrates !
1. Look at the flags behind Najib and Obama in the photo. You might think Najib is the President of the US of A and Obama the PM of Malaysia. May they should just switch places for a while. But then no, both are lame ducks.
2. Obama met Najib at the Conference center. There was no invite to the While House or a joint press conference in the lawn after that. Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan was offered better courtesy and respect. Maybe RM 77 million not enough.
3. They met for about 40 minutes. I hear that Obama spent 30 minutes practising his Bahasa (Indonesia) in preparation for his visit there shortly e.g. Apo khabo, dok? Bini sihat? Dah makan? Semua-nya okey, dok? Apo cerita kes sodomee, pak? Nak sayer ceramah di Hulu Selangor pak? Nak beli submarine? F16? Bole hantar lagi satu “space tourist”, pak. Nak bincang? Terima kassee.
He then signals his aide “OK. Send in the next Head of State.” And poor Najib has to vacate his seat.
Obama knows Najib through and through…just like Bush knows Mahathir.
US government is devilish…but they do not manipulate with their citizens or steal billions from them. They rob other countries.
Here in Malaysia…UMNO BARU steal from their own citizens….twisting that to be rightfully and legally done..with no shame at all.
In International politics…Obama is applying diplomacy with smiles and friendliness gestures to Najib…but deep inside….American governments…be it Democrat or Republican ..both hates Mahathir and Najib like poison.
Just recall The past Sec.Of State…Madam Albright spoke bluntly…US will support Anwar and his family…with anything they want….and US is keeping their promises ..up to now.
As long as UMNO BARU uses religion to gun down Anwar….US government will never respect UMNO BARU or Najib at all….be it Obama or any future new Presidents.
You mean Najib does not know all these?
Sure he does. It is the famous thick skin…with their dirty politics applied…that UMNO BARU crooks keep putting out the false fronts and hypocracies….insulting the Malay race and culture.. to the fullest.
Najib is the biggest hypocrite…supporting and copying Mahathir wholesale.
You think Obama does not know that too?
Only idiots like Chengho do not know that.
chengho hard luck for your boss la….Obama has already picked his mate and equal in Kevin Rudd,
Australian PM.
Go and polish his jingle bells, eunuch, to console him……
A clear case of syiok sendiri at the rakyat’s expense. Najib is just following the precedent set by his mentor, the evil mamak.
The mamak engaged the services of a known Jew conman in the US and paid him millions of the taxpayers’ money so that he can rub shoulders with Bush. That mamak liked to shoot off his foul mouth against all the whites, especially the Americans being anti-Palestine and pro Zionis. That was his bluster to show the UMNOputras that he is the ‘alfa male’ among them. But when he wanted to have an audience with Bush, he ran after a Jew to set up the meet.
For all the vitriol against Israel and the open support of brother Muslims in the Middle East, Najib could not trust the local PR firms to do a good job. He also had to appoint a zionis firm, APCO to come up with his 1Malaysia rigmarole which even the DPM does not believe. What a sheer waste of the rakyats’ RM77 million.
What the mamak and najib did was to portray the Israelis as more intelligent and advanced than the locals (UMNOputras) who are only good with the beggar bowls and the crutches that NEP and mamak provided.
When the mamak kicks the bucket and when all his filth are exposed, the enlightened Malays would rejoice but not the UMNOputras who have bloated up sucking from the poor folks.
Won’t be surprised if the gullible UMNOputras were told that the RM77 million is in fact taken out from the non-Malay taxpayers.
UMNOputras will believe anything dished out by their leaders if it has a race and religious slant. They would be more than happy if they are told that some of the money would ultimately go into their accounts even if they really know that they have been royally screwed by their leaders.
They are more interested in the ‘feel good’ or the syiok sendiri factor.
Najib may suffer a long period of hang-over from the visit, and risk making costly mistakes, due to the intoxicating effects of meeting the President.
1. He will be more bold in making high-handed decision from now on, and in the process, create unhappiness among his senior cabinet ministers.
2. He can now ignore TDM and tell him off, and triggering a series of attack by TDM with detrimental effects to the administration, much to the pleasure of the opposition.
3. In the meantime, the opposition, led by Saudara Lim Kit Siang, will have a field-time in parliament to demand answers to pressing questions concerning the economy and all the dark future of the nation and its security.
When OhMama step out the plane, Hanjin Chengho bring along his mama & show their doggy styles to OhMama….. “Chengho then ask OhMama, our styles are at par with your Yank styles….” Hanjin Chengho’s purposes to show off their various styles are to expect another big Paycheck from OhMama…. This how Hanjin Chengho earn side incomes….
Wot did jib achieve in US?
Well he put us in the world map. Again. I know. Mamak did that too many times in the past. But hey, nothing tells us jib cant do wot mamak has done before. Come to think of it, beng hock did the same thing too. We became really famous because of beng hock. So thank you hock. And yes you too anwar. Thank you. And strangely too because of altan although she was not a citizen of this country. Wow wot country we are huh. I am so proud. That is why a certain mat salleh decided to write on mamak and on all his past deeds spanning 22 yrs. Oh yes, pak lah too. He sent someone into space so that he could have a peek at the top of ex-president Bush’s crown. Ha ha ha. Aint that kinda cool. Yeah. We are good AND famous.
So wot did jib achieve in washington?
Huh? Oh. That one. Hmmm. Phark. Oh err sorry. Well I mean errr jib smiled a lot. Yeh, he achieved a lot of smiles. And and and fat mama ros too. Took lots of pics. Smiling pics. Broad smiles. In fact broader than ob’s smile. I mean. Look. People dont just smile if they have achieved nothing. Right? So jib must have scored big. Yes, scored big time in US. And ahh nazri. Mana si celaka tu. Oi nazri.
Why do you think that BN spent $$$$$$$$millions on APCO????????
Pity the poor poor rakyat what these $$$$$$$$ can help them. I believe PKR should now concentrate on winning the Hulu Selangor seat than harping on this wayang kulit show by our Mr.C4 and his fat mama.
Hope rakyat will support Zaid and give him a chance to make Malaysia a better place for EVERYONE irrespective. MIC is dead and gone. That politically dead “semi value” guy and his cronies are now trying to portray as saviours for the indians now, after having walloped $$$$$$Billions of their hard earned money all these years. What a bunch of ungrateful and thick skin guys. Indians wake up!!!!!
VOTE PKR!!!!
If you want a better future and free from being discriminated, just vote for PR in all the coming by-elections.
Together you can kick BN/UMNO out, and save the country from becoming a Zimbabwee.
CORRECT CORRECT CORRECT .
Try not to be INCORRECT again.
Jolly good one!!
almost confirm my man Obama visiting Malaysia next year
OK LKS, so we agree this Najib fella is now the new Mr. Grease – ok, 1GREASE!
Sheriif, I enjoyed Obama’s Bahasa Indon.
Ha, ha, now Jack Neo can make movie: “RM77million Not Enuf!”
USA is closer than you think,
if they can see from satellite, they are practically there.
Stop lying and get the hell out of businesses that we don’t involve us and stop bragging on bold actions to save the WORLD. who are you to speak on behalf of bolihland and commit such actions, some of us still are barefooted.
anak yatim , Stop making use of govt position for your exit
don’t get us involve in things than some of the components of our society do not support.
JUst because others are quiet does not mean you can speak and act on behalf.
stop being an arrogant fool for us , never mind after you leave the cabinet and cupboards