- Joined
- Aug 8, 2008
- Messages
- 3,619
- Points
- 0
http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Malaysia/Story/A1Story20110116-258448.html
Sun, Jan 16, 2011
New Straits Times
Clinton: Malaysia a model nation
UNITED States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is impressed with Malaysia's developmental efforts, wants to make Malaysia a model nation for developing countries. Three factors that impress her are the country's democracy, effective government and continuous economic growth.
Clinton said this to Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at the US State Department here on Friday.
This was a follow-up to the meeting they had when Clinton was in Kuala Lumpur last year.
Muhyiddin was accompanied by Malaysian Ambassador to the US Datuk Seri Jamaludin Jarjis and Foreign Affairs Ministry deputy secretary-general Datuk Husni Zai Yaacob.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday before returning home, Muhyiddin expressed satisfaction with his meeting with Clinton.
Clinton said it was "very exciting for the breadth and depth of our relationship to be on such a positive track, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with the government and people of Malaysia for a better future".
Muhyiddin and Clinton also discussed Malaysia's proposal for a Peace Corps programme to teach English to teachers and schoolchildren in the country, and the signing of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).
TPP is a multilateral free trade agreement that aims to integrate the economies of the Asia-Pacific region.
Muhyiddin said negotiations on the Peace Corps programme were underway. "When the draft is ready, we will table it to the cabinet."
Muhyiddin said he was confident that Malaysia would conclude TPP negotiations before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference in Hawaii at the end of the year.
Clinton asked him about Malaysia's increasing role in Afghanistan and Palestine.
He said following the United Arab Emirates' US$6 million (RM18.5 million) aid to the International Security Assistance Force to Afghanistan, Malaysia's participation in it could be expanded or extended.
Malaysia's presence in Afghanistan is at the request of the host nation to provide medical and humanitarian aid.
Muhyiddin said Palestine had asked Malaysia to help rebuild its infrastructure and economy. "We stressed to her the importance of the US' role in resolving the Palestine issue."
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak may visit Palestine at the invitation of President Mahmoud Abbas.
Clinton indicated to Muhyiddin that it was time for another US presidential visit to Malaysia.
Lyndon B. Johnson was the first and only American president to have visited Malaysia in 1966.
A Felda settlement in Negri Sembilan was named after him following the visit.
Muhyiddin said if this happened, it would be another milestone in US-Malaysia relations.
Najib extended an invitation to President Barack Obama to visit Malaysia when both leaders talked on the telephone during their first conversation as heads of states in June 2009.
Obama is expected to attend the 19th Asean Summit in Bali in October.
Muhyiddin congratulated Jamaludin for a job well done as Malaysia's representative in the US.
At the launch of Malaysian Bio-technology Corporation's (BiotechCorp) Malaysian Biotechnology Entrepreneurial Special Training (myBeST) programme here on Friday, Muhyiddin said Malaysia should make the world its laboratory to nurture talent. "Let's make it our aim to learn from the best, wherever that may be."
He said degrees and formal education were irrelevant without creativity, strategic and critical thinking, practical training, communication ability, skills and business acumen.
He urged agencies and government departments back home to develop human capital. The next step would be to partner the public and private sectors, he added.
"We must acknowledge that the Malaysian government and private sector are significantly engaged in the advancement of education. The government and private sector fund almost 40,000 of the 60,000 people studying abroad."
He said the public and private sector partnership could now place more focus on practical training.
Under the myBeST programme, more than 200 Malaysian students from selected universities in the US will undergo training in bioprocess operations and other specialisations in American companies.
The programme will refer them to US-based companies, which are setting up operations in Malaysia, for possible recruitment.
The programme is a collaboration between BiotechCorp and General Electric Healthcare. GE will equip trainees with skills in biotechnology, including bio-processes.
The programme in Malaysia has trained about 800 sciences students, of whom 85 per cent secured jobs.
Sun, Jan 16, 2011
New Straits Times
Clinton: Malaysia a model nation
UNITED States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is impressed with Malaysia's developmental efforts, wants to make Malaysia a model nation for developing countries. Three factors that impress her are the country's democracy, effective government and continuous economic growth.
Clinton said this to Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin at the US State Department here on Friday.
This was a follow-up to the meeting they had when Clinton was in Kuala Lumpur last year.
Muhyiddin was accompanied by Malaysian Ambassador to the US Datuk Seri Jamaludin Jarjis and Foreign Affairs Ministry deputy secretary-general Datuk Husni Zai Yaacob.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday before returning home, Muhyiddin expressed satisfaction with his meeting with Clinton.
Clinton said it was "very exciting for the breadth and depth of our relationship to be on such a positive track, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with the government and people of Malaysia for a better future".
Muhyiddin and Clinton also discussed Malaysia's proposal for a Peace Corps programme to teach English to teachers and schoolchildren in the country, and the signing of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP).
TPP is a multilateral free trade agreement that aims to integrate the economies of the Asia-Pacific region.
Muhyiddin said negotiations on the Peace Corps programme were underway. "When the draft is ready, we will table it to the cabinet."
Muhyiddin said he was confident that Malaysia would conclude TPP negotiations before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference in Hawaii at the end of the year.
Clinton asked him about Malaysia's increasing role in Afghanistan and Palestine.
He said following the United Arab Emirates' US$6 million (RM18.5 million) aid to the International Security Assistance Force to Afghanistan, Malaysia's participation in it could be expanded or extended.
Malaysia's presence in Afghanistan is at the request of the host nation to provide medical and humanitarian aid.
Muhyiddin said Palestine had asked Malaysia to help rebuild its infrastructure and economy. "We stressed to her the importance of the US' role in resolving the Palestine issue."
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak may visit Palestine at the invitation of President Mahmoud Abbas.
Clinton indicated to Muhyiddin that it was time for another US presidential visit to Malaysia.
Lyndon B. Johnson was the first and only American president to have visited Malaysia in 1966.
A Felda settlement in Negri Sembilan was named after him following the visit.
Muhyiddin said if this happened, it would be another milestone in US-Malaysia relations.
Najib extended an invitation to President Barack Obama to visit Malaysia when both leaders talked on the telephone during their first conversation as heads of states in June 2009.
Obama is expected to attend the 19th Asean Summit in Bali in October.
Muhyiddin congratulated Jamaludin for a job well done as Malaysia's representative in the US.
At the launch of Malaysian Bio-technology Corporation's (BiotechCorp) Malaysian Biotechnology Entrepreneurial Special Training (myBeST) programme here on Friday, Muhyiddin said Malaysia should make the world its laboratory to nurture talent. "Let's make it our aim to learn from the best, wherever that may be."
He said degrees and formal education were irrelevant without creativity, strategic and critical thinking, practical training, communication ability, skills and business acumen.
He urged agencies and government departments back home to develop human capital. The next step would be to partner the public and private sectors, he added.
"We must acknowledge that the Malaysian government and private sector are significantly engaged in the advancement of education. The government and private sector fund almost 40,000 of the 60,000 people studying abroad."
He said the public and private sector partnership could now place more focus on practical training.
Under the myBeST programme, more than 200 Malaysian students from selected universities in the US will undergo training in bioprocess operations and other specialisations in American companies.
The programme will refer them to US-based companies, which are setting up operations in Malaysia, for possible recruitment.
The programme is a collaboration between BiotechCorp and General Electric Healthcare. GE will equip trainees with skills in biotechnology, including bio-processes.
The programme in Malaysia has trained about 800 sciences students, of whom 85 per cent secured jobs.
