KUALA
LUMPUR, Feb 24 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak
said the most effective coalitions in the future will be those which
involve both the developed and developing world.
In this regard, he said, Malaysia must be deft and nimble in building and participating in coalitions, seeking out those which shared its concerns.
He said there was also a need at the same time to exercise leadership within the shared platforms which were needed to tackle multilateral problems.
"A stronger foreign policy establishment here in Malaysia, which brings together think-tanks, academic chairs and foundations will strengthen our hand when it comes to building coalitions for change," Najib said in his keynote address when opening the 8th Heads of Mission Conference, here today.
Najib noted that Malaysia must react to the transformations around it with a transformation of its own, including having a foreign policy that would see the country through to 2020 when this country achieved a developed nation status, and beyond.
To this end, Najib said Malaysia must embrace its position as one of the region's Middle Powers, which he described as states which rarely acted alone, but had a significant, systematic impact in a small group or through international institutions.
"Come 2020, Malaysia will be a developed country with far-flung and expanding interests. The international community, as well as our own public, will expect that we assume our share of the burden of responsibility and leadership.
"As a Middle Power, that means playing a greater part in Asia, and helping Asia play a greater part in the world," he said at the event which was attended by, among others, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and his deputy, Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin.
Najib said this meant Malaysia was continuing its commitment to Asean which groups 10 Southeast Asian countries.
"We swim or sink with our region. If we don't have an influential voice here, we won't have an influential voice anywhere," he stressed.
Najib said Malaysia must, therefore, devote adequate resources to strengthening its bilateral relations with neighbours and continue to value Asean as the fulcrum of peace, prosperity and stability in the region.
"Even as we undertake to do more, we must concentrate resources on initiatives that will generate the best returns, leading in areas that concern us the most, not aiming to be everything to everyone," the prime minister said.
He said Kuala Lumpur must sharpen the way it conceived and executed the cooperation and assistance programmes it provided at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels.
"And we must assess the impact of such programmes more systematically to ensure they are effective and efficient," he said.
In the speech, Najib noted that the factors which shaped Malaysia's diplomacy -- its dependence on trade, strategic location and demographic change -- were in turn shaped by external trends.
"And here the grounds beneath our feet are shifting as old assumptions are being overturned and new ones emerging.
"These global and regional trends ask that we adapt our diplomacy to fit the pressures and opportunities of a new century," he added.
In this regard, he said, Malaysia must be deft and nimble in building and participating in coalitions, seeking out those which shared its concerns.
He said there was also a need at the same time to exercise leadership within the shared platforms which were needed to tackle multilateral problems.
"A stronger foreign policy establishment here in Malaysia, which brings together think-tanks, academic chairs and foundations will strengthen our hand when it comes to building coalitions for change," Najib said in his keynote address when opening the 8th Heads of Mission Conference, here today.
Najib noted that Malaysia must react to the transformations around it with a transformation of its own, including having a foreign policy that would see the country through to 2020 when this country achieved a developed nation status, and beyond.
To this end, Najib said Malaysia must embrace its position as one of the region's Middle Powers, which he described as states which rarely acted alone, but had a significant, systematic impact in a small group or through international institutions.
"Come 2020, Malaysia will be a developed country with far-flung and expanding interests. The international community, as well as our own public, will expect that we assume our share of the burden of responsibility and leadership.
"As a Middle Power, that means playing a greater part in Asia, and helping Asia play a greater part in the world," he said at the event which was attended by, among others, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman and his deputy, Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin.
Najib said this meant Malaysia was continuing its commitment to Asean which groups 10 Southeast Asian countries.
"We swim or sink with our region. If we don't have an influential voice here, we won't have an influential voice anywhere," he stressed.
Najib said Malaysia must, therefore, devote adequate resources to strengthening its bilateral relations with neighbours and continue to value Asean as the fulcrum of peace, prosperity and stability in the region.
"Even as we undertake to do more, we must concentrate resources on initiatives that will generate the best returns, leading in areas that concern us the most, not aiming to be everything to everyone," the prime minister said.
He said Kuala Lumpur must sharpen the way it conceived and executed the cooperation and assistance programmes it provided at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels.
"And we must assess the impact of such programmes more systematically to ensure they are effective and efficient," he said.
In the speech, Najib noted that the factors which shaped Malaysia's diplomacy -- its dependence on trade, strategic location and demographic change -- were in turn shaped by external trends.
"And here the grounds beneath our feet are shifting as old assumptions are being overturned and new ones emerging.
"These global and regional trends ask that we adapt our diplomacy to fit the pressures and opportunities of a new century," he added.
No comments:
Post a Comment