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'Obama and Najib share natural chemistry': Malaysia visit

webfact

By webfact
in World News

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webfact Grand Master Member

webfact

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'Obama and Najib share natural chemistry'
News Desk
The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: -- It was a busy second day for US President Barack Obama in Malaysia but he made it seem easy as he zipped through the capital full of vigour and even his weighty bilateral talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak went smoothly thanks to the “great natural chemistry” between the two leaders.

Najib even got a chance to travel in The Beast, the famed presidential vehicle often described as a formidable mobile fortress.

“It is very uncommon for the US President to invite someone else into The Beast. But Obama asked Najib to hop into the car for the trip from Sri Perdana to Cyberjaya!” minister-in-attendance Khairy Jamaluddin told The Star, saying the leaders’ travelled together to the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC).

At the event, Najib also announced that the field in front of the MaGIC headquarters in Cyberjaya would be renamed the “Obama Oval” which Khairy said left Obama “really chuffed and happy”.

Accompanying Obama during his historic Malaysian trip has also been a “very different experience” for Khairy. “The security requirements are much more stringent, compared to being minister-in-attendance for other heads of state,” he said.

Happily, everything went according to plan.

“He still remembers some Bahasa, he understands the people, and he likes the food,” the Umno Youth chief said.

After his morning visit to the National Mosque followed by a closed-door bilateral meeting in Putrajaya, Obama had a working lunch.

Steak and salmon were served at the lunch yesterday, but Obama asked for other delicacies as he could have that fare “at any time”.

No, the United States president did not have nasi goreng USA or fried rice with udang, sotong and ayam (prawn, squid and chicken).

“He chose to have nasi goreng kampung (traditional fried rice), alongside an ayam kampung (free-range chicken) dish and steamed ikan patin (catfish),” shared Khairy.

When faced with the King and Queen of Fruits, Obama fell in love with mangosteens but chose to forgo durian as he had tasted the pungent fruit before.

Khairy posted on his twitter account a comical photo of the president eyeing a durian served on a plate of fruits. The humorous photo generated more than a thousand retweets.

“When the US delegation asked him what durian was like, Obama said the taste was ‘not bad’, but that the smell was a combination of cheese and old socks! Of course, he made them try it after that,” said a laughing Khairy.

After lunch, it was off to the launch of MaGIC where Obama interacted with a number of schoolchildren and then he was at Universiti Malaya for the Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative (YSEALI) Town Hall with youth leaders.

He delighted the audience when he shared his attempts at learning Bahasa Malaysia.

“I’ve only been in Malaysia a day, but I’ve picked up a new phrase, Malaysia Boleh,” he said to loud applause.

ann.jpg
-- ANN 2014-04-28

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chuckd Diamond Member

chuckd

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Providing a progress report on Obama's visit: to Malaysia. Could he be pitching for another Nobel peace Prize?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Imam to Obama: ‘End Oppression of Muslims’; Obama to Imam: ‘Pray for Me’
April 27, 2014 - 9:04 PM
By Patrick Goodenough
(CNSNews.com) – Visiting Malaysia’s National Mosque on Sunday, President Obama was asked by the institution’s imam to end oppression against Muslims worldwide, Malaysia’s national press agency Bernama reported.
“Pray for me,” Obama replied, according to Grand Imam Ismail Muhammad, who took him on a 25-minute tour of the mosque, called Masjid Negara in Malay, in Kuala Lumpur.
“Obama also said that every day when he wakes up he always does his best to put an end to oppression and conflicts affecting communities,” Bernama quoted Ismail as saying.
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bangon04 Ruby Member

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"“Obama also said that every day when he wakes up he always does his best to put an end to oppression and conflicts affecting communities,” Bernama quoted Ismail as saying."

Sounds like he also wants to try out for Miss World....

pass the bucket, someone...

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boomerangutang Platinum Member

boomerangutang

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Disappointing that Obama was kept from meeting the leader of the political opposition.

Anwar is head and shoulders better leadership material than Najib, but Najib and his political buddies are very adept at the dirty politics of keeping the opposition snuffed.

I like Obama, but I think he should have insisted on meeting, at least for a half hour, with Anwar. Instead, Obama bowed to the intense pressure of Najib and his handlers.

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Scott Star Member

Scott

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Disappointing that Obama was kept from meeting the leader of the political opposition.

Anwar is head and shoulders better leadership material than Najib, but Najib and his political buddies are very adept at the dirty politics of keeping the opposition snuffed.

I like Obama, but I think he should have insisted on meeting, at least for a half hour, with Anwar. Instead, Obama bowed to the intense pressure of Najib and his handlers.

There's more on the opposition leader on this thread, including his views on not meeting with the US President:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/722284-malaysias-opposition-leader-anwar-an-opaque-system-of-cover-ups-interview/

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